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Samsung Galaxy S6’s all-metal frame allegedly leaked, reminds us of an iPhone 6

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Samsung Galaxy S6 metal frame front back

If you haven’t been keeping up, current rumors strongly point to Samsung ditching their tried-and-true plastic and going with a more metal design for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S6. We know, we’ve heard that just about every year the Korean manufacturer prepares a new flagship release — but this time it could finally be different.

Those needing a little more proof than simply the word of “sources close to the matter,” the folks at Nowhereelse.fr have obtained a few alleged photos of the Galaxy S6’s metal frame, photographed from inside the confines of a Chinese bathroom (the worker likely smuggled the phone inside for a worry free pic).

Samsung Galaxy S6 metal frame sides

The photos give us a very clear look at what could be the sides of the Samsung Galaxy S6, and we hate to admit it but… it looks a bit like the iPhone 6 (which also looks like the Sony Xperia Z3 or even the HTC One M8). Upon closer inspection, you’ll find cutouts for the camera and LED flash/heart rate sensor, along with a headphone port and speaker grill on the bottom, and what we’re assuming is an SD card slot along one side and SIM slot on the other.

Samsung Galaxy S6 metal frame top bottom

Exactly what kind of materials will be sandwiched on the top and bottom of this phone is anyone’s guess, but according to rumors the phone will come equipped with a 5.1-inch 1440p display, Exynos 7420 processor, 3GB of RAM, 20MP camera, and 2,550mAh battery. Here’s the rest:

  • 64-bit eight-core 14nm CPU which is 50% faster
  • 5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display with a 577ppi density, stunning outdoor visibility, super dim mode for late night.
  • 20MP OIS camera sensor and a 5 megapixel f/1.8 front-facing camera with real-time HDR
  • 32 / 64 / 128GB of storage
  • 2550mAh battery
  • Built-in wireless charging
  • Four hours of usage on a 10 minute charge
  • Quick connect charging
  • Samsung Pay: works with 90% of existing magnetic stripe payment terminals, and NFC payment terminals
  • Metal and glass body
  • Gorilla Glass 4
  • Cat 6 LTE

Of course, we wont really know what Samsung has up their sleeves until their March 1st Unpacked event in Barcelona. Samsung has received a lot of flak for sticking to the same stale Galaxy design year after year, but it looks like the S6 could finally be different. Well, different for Samsung anyway.

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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93 Comments

  1. Hima M9

    1. .. versus S6

      Going to be a fun battle.

  2. can’t wait!!!!

  3. Lol is this guy standing in front of a urinal? Love it.

    1. holy crap hahahaha that is classic

    2. That’s a squat toilet.

      1. Nice.

    3. I was thinking that was a woman with the long finger nails and soft looking hands. LOL

      1. Asians have feminine hands..

    4. At least from the squat toilet we can confirm it’s in Asia LOL.

      1. Or France. ;)

        (Though they are less common there than the used to be)

  4. well I hate iPhones….so I dont care if they copy them TBH. It looks completely identical though….guess Samsung is going with the “if you cant beat em, join em” theory. Wonder how fast it takes for Apple to send their attack attorneys their way with their fingers wagging in the air.

  5. this does not go with their edge variant design, means this is usual S6..

    1. yeah good point….I heard they were going with a double sided edge design…which I was actually curious about =( now I’m not curious again. Shame, they had me for a minute!

      1. I read 2 versions. 1 with, 1 without “edge”. This “could” be the edgeless frame.

        1. so they are copying iphone….and their “S” line-up? makes sense :)

          1. 2 versions of the same phone is not unique to iPhone. There are many companies that make the same phone, but Korea gets a slight variation version than USA. Same phone, same model, 2 variations.

            And anyway, IF this happens, it will be nothing like iPhone to be fair since iPhone does not have an edge display. That is 100% all Sammy, And I hope this happens as the edge idea intrigues me to a degree so I would like to at least see it.

            ps – and the rumored edge S6 might have 2 edges, more than the 1 edge note.

          2. touche to all of that….you’re completely right

  6. Urgh.

  7. If the battery can’t be removed… FAIL!

    1. Agreed… but it seems, more and more, this is the prevailing trend.

      1. For the life of me I can’t figure out why. I bought a Moto X with nonremovable battery and it was like I was always worried about the charge, always plugging in for multiple hours a day, and running it down in an hour or two if I’m playing a game or watching a video. I don’t see how people live like that, unless they just don’t use their phones for anything.

        1. I feel you. I “think” the logic is that the thinner the cases & bodies go, the tighter the tolerances, the less room to make and plan for clasps and portions of the bodies and backplates that make it easy to snap on and off a back. Less room, tighter tolerances, so they have to forgo material and space and so, they lock the battery behind a thin chassis.

    2. with quick charge, not worried. for long periods away from a charger, it will suck

      1. Except quick charge isn’t really that quick. It’s mostly marketing. It is faster, but only marginally so. Maybe it’ll only take 1.5 hours instead of 2. You’re still checking that battery gauge all the time, counting the minutes until you need to plug in. I drain down to 15-30%, then pop in another battery. Haven’t had to plug in for years. Seems like that’s a feature people should be clamoring for, the never-needs-a-charge phone. And the extra battery and charger run the same as the quick charging cord, so…

        1. wouldn’t know since I haven’t owned a device with said feature. I would think they wouldn’t be allowed to so grossly exaggerate as you are saying

          1. They don’t exaggerate anything, they just don’t promise what you think. They promise 8 hrs talk time on a 15 min charge. TALK TIME. Not screen time, not use time. Now go exam some tests performed. You’ll find in every test, you get basically an extra 10 percent in those 15 min over a normal charge. So you’re at 25% after 15 min instead of 15%. I call that difference overhyped. Every independent tester has reached the same conclusion. Do some googling on it and you’ll see. There is no replacement for an instantly filled battery.

          2. Well that burst my bubble. Will have to look into it.

        2. 15mins charge gives you 4 hours usage
          That is why Samsung decided to opt out on removable battery

          Also s6 and edge comes in 3 memory variants
          32 64 128 that’s why they opted out on removable memory card too

        3. Why are you using your phone so much when you’re out and about anyway? It’s a tool not a toy.

          1. I use it mostly around the house, actually, as my phone, Bluetooth speaker for the kids, camera, photo/video viewer, calendar/alarm clock/reminder, list keeper, information hub, entertainment device, banking/bill center business center. So is that a tool or toy?

          2. For a lot of those things you mentioned, yes a toy.

          3. Can’t video chat with grandma at the drop of a hat if I gotta wait to charge my phone, or leave it plugged in. There is really no argument for a nonremovable battery that makes sense for a consumer. You’re losing a huge amount of functionality for literally nothing in return.

        4. The Turbo Charger on my Nexus 6 is more than marketing. I get more than 50% charge in less than 30 min… usually go from 5% to 100% in about 1.5 hrs total.

        5. My Oppo F7 charges from 0 to 85% in 30 minutes with the quick charge feature. It’s not mostly marketing, it actually works.

          1. Well, that’s great for your Oppo; I hope this works the same way, but that ain’t how any phone currently sold in the US works. HTC and Motorola phones have quick charge, and neither charges near that fast.

        6. Quick charge is a Qualcomm thing. Unless exynos has something similar.

    3. Agreed.

      A non-removable battery is a deal-breaker for me, until such time that we have a battery tech that doesn’t degrade over time. Li-ion only holds about 75% of its original charge after a year, depending on many times you charge cycle, and that’s when I buy a new one, instead of buying a new device

      1. Honestly by the time your battery starts to degrade its prob time for a new phone. New updates, and apps and games take more and more battery from an older phone.. Each new phone has newer battery tech that lasts longer than the previous generation. To not upgrade your phone and just keep replacing the battery is silly and kinda cheap. Especially when even flagship devices are extremely affordable from the carriers. T-Mobile is especially good on deals like that.

      2. My HTC One (M8) has been unplugged for 12 hours today and it’s still at 25%. The screen’s been on for 3 hours and during that time I’ve watched a 12 minute YouTube video, used Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Google Now, Maps, the Calendar, and sent a bunch of text messages. It goes from 0 to 100 in about 2-3 hours. I’m satisfied with having a non-removable battery, with the longevity my phones gives me (I can stretch it up to 2 days using it sparingly, even taking a bunch of geotagged photos).

        I think the tech is coming up where removable batteries are becoming less and less of a dealbreaker for people. It’s not like 2 years ago when Android was a juice guzzler. Project Volta is a step in the right direction

    4. “FAIL” What are you 12?

      1. Pretty sure a twelve-year-old would think FAIL is a term an old man would use, but thanks for attempting an insult, even if it was a bit of a fail.

        1. You sure got me.

  8. I hope he gets rid of the shoes he’s wearing because he somehow caught one in a picture…Otherwise this guy might be looking for a job by next week.

    1. I think the long nails are a bigger giveaway.

  9. Pass. HTC, I’m coming home

    1. Preach on brotha

  10. Not a fan of the rounded edge with the flat back. It’s pretty much the only reason I think the iPhone 6 looks bad. I thought the iPhone 5 series was much better looking.

  11. Man if you’re real quiet you could hear Apple’s lawyers snickering In a dark room as they sharpen their claws. Holly molly Samsung have you no shame O_o

  12. I can’t believe it doesn’t have front firing stereo speakers….

  13. That’s crazy similar to the iPhone… Looks like this year can be HTC’s year to finally get some market space.

    1. Amen

    2. HTC’s phone looks just as crappy as the last model.

      You mean it’s finally LG’s year to gain some market space.

      1. Your preference.

      2. Just as crappy? I’m not sure I like the M8 better than the M7, but c’mon, that design was lauded all over the place. When the M7 came out it blew everyone away, and they must’ve done something right, since Apple brought out a phone that aped it.

  14. It’s a fricken metal frame .Everybody complains that samsung uses plastic and as soon as they come out with a metal phone it automatically looks like a iphone maybe they should made a round phone

    1. From those photos it most certainly looks like a crappy iPhone.

      1. If it looks like a phone it must be a iphone clone.

        1. Not really. Other manufacturers have no problem making their own uniquely styled phones, much more attractive than the iPhone or galaxy phones too.

          It seems Samsung and some of the Chinese manufacturers seem obsessed with cloning the iPhone.

          1. When i had my dell streak I can’t tell you how many people asked if it was a ipad.People have one thing when it comes to handheld devices apple.which makes me sick.

          2. Other than the Samsung galaxy s2, no device I’ve ever owned has been mistaken for an apple device.

          3. Then you must not get around much.

          4. Yeah of course, that’s why.

            Fan boys are so easy to spot.

          5. You got that right I love android and own a n6 and don’t own any samsung products so my comment are not biased to them just android.

          6. Haha nice try Samsung boy.

            Samsung are RUINING the image of android with the poor man’s iphones they continuously release.

            You guys are even more transparent than the apple fan boys.

            Enjoy your touchwiz iPhone.

          7. Only vanilla android for me go nexus

  15. Too many useless CPU cores, too many pixels, not enough RAM, too small battery and useless metal frame. Seems like Samsung is going to continue to loose market share.

    1. lose*

  16. They’re cloning the iPhone again?

    1. brought to you by iSung

  17. I have an idea. Instead of making 40 different midrange phones, Samsung can make 2 flagship designs, one similar to the current S6 and another lower cost option ala iPhone 5C w/ cheaper build quality, removable batteries, etc. Keep it short, simple, and to the point. That’s how HTC can do it. For the midranges, they can make a few options, not Galaxy A1, A3, A5, A7, J1, P1, X1, 8008, 69, etc.

  18. Am i the only one distracted by what appears to be a toilet on the floor in the background, lol.

    1. no, they mention the pics were taken in the bathroom. I’m more-so wondering if they squat over that hole.

      1. Never been to China, but a lot of countries have a similar squat style toilet system. I’d lose my mind.

      2. Lol, ok. I knew they mentioned it, i just couldnt stop looking at it and wondering…. how ? lol.

  19. Chris, do you have any info on the amount of RAM on the device?

    1. Rumors are 3GB of RAM. I’d say it’s pretty much guaranteed.

      1. Okay, no incentive to even look at the S6 at this point in time. I’ll wait for 4 gbs with the Note 5. Thanks for the update.

  20. Anybody remember when the iphone had a 3 inch screen so tell me who’s copying who?as android phone have gotten bigger so has the iphone.

  21. There goes samsung trying to be like apple again. Google need to kick them out. Ruining android

  22. hmm.., if I am not wrong and these leaked pictures are real, then samsung solved the heating problem with this metal frame (passive cooler), so they can use snapdragon and exynos chipsets (if they want that variant). and that inner housing makes the device probably sturdier.. but Will it Blend? That is the question :)

  23. “it looks a bit like the iPhone 6 (which also looks like the Sony Xperia Z3 or even the HTC One M8).”

    So why wasn’t THAT your headline?

  24. Dear Samsung: I know you have a certain design language you’d like to uphold, but for Heaven’s sakes… Sony, HTC, LG, and Motorola all have moved away from capacitative/hard nav buttons… why can’t you do the same? Also, front-facing speakers. Again, HTC, Sony, and Motorola get it… keeping up with the iPhone is no longer the acceptable minimum.

    1. I’m not gonna lie, I was actually excited when I got a Note 4 (coming from an M7) specifically BECAUSE of the hardware button. I’m not sure why, but pressing an actual button to go to Home feels better to me than using capacitive buttons. I would agree that front facing speakers would be great (I loved BoomSound), but that would increase the bezel, which I would imagine Samsung doesn’t want to do.

      1. My gf likes the tactile response of the hardware button, too, with her S5. I prefer the seamless swipe-up motion to launch Google Now. I recognize it’s all a matter of preference!

  25. I’m holding judgement until I see what they do with the god awful behemoth that is Touchwiz.

    1. it’s not so bad in the latest phones

    2. Root and profit. Change anything you want, virtually, about TW.

  26. am i the only one who would love to see a camera button make a return on phones. it’s so much easier than pressing on the screen.

    1. you can usually use the volume button once in the picture app, so imo it’s no big deal

      1. I know, I have an S5 right now and still miss it. Especially with the placement of the dedicated camera button being in the lower right corner. Using the volume key just seems backwards/ upside down.

    2. I agree, love having a camera button on my Xperia Z2, probably wouldn’t go for another phone without one. It’s especially good when the phone is on standby and you see something you want to take a quick picture of.

    3. I used to feel that way until it became apparent the software button was more responsive than the hardware button on the phones I had. Fewer pictures missed.

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