The Apple iPhone 7’s First Competitors? Samsung Galaxy C5 And C7 Officially Unveiled
There’s a lot of speculation right now around exactly what Apple’s next iPhone will look like and whatever form it takes, it’s now pretty much a given that they’re going to have to face off competition from Samsung and a range of other Android handset manufacturers. But has Samsung just jumped the gun on Apple and unveiled the iPhone 7’s first competitors?
According to Business Insider, Samsung’s latest handsets, the Galaxy C5 and C7 are already available to purchase in China and they’re very aesthetically similar to Apple’s latest iPhone model. Both the C5 and C7 feature a fingerprint sensor, which has become the norm for most modern smartphones, along with Apple’s signature rose gold finish and a metal shell that appears to borrow a lot from the design of the most recent iPhone model. It’s pretty clear from where the influence for these devices comes.
Samsung is certainly no stranger to releasing two handsets in tandem like this, however, it can leave many consumers confused as to which model to opt for. That being said, according to the Verge, there are several key differences between the specs within the Samsung Galaxy C5 and it’s older brother, the C7.
It’s hard to deny that the Samsung Galaxy C5 doesn’t pack a pretty serious punch in its own right. However, the C7 essentially offers a beefed up version of that device. On top of the C5’s specs, the C7 features a 5.7-inch SuperAMOLED full HD display, along with a 2.0GHz octa-core Snapdragon 625 SoC with Adreno 506 GPU. The C7 is also available to purchase in both 32GB and 64GB variants and offers extended battery life with its 3300mAh battery.
Core specs aside, these are largely two pretty similar handsets. Both the Samsung Galaxy C5 and C7 run the latest version of Google’s operating system, Android 6.0 and are available in the same gold, rose gold, grey, and silver colors. It’s not yet clear whether Samsung will upgrade these devices to the newest version of Android later this year.
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So why do the Samsung Galaxy C5 and C7 provide a major threat for Apple’s next iPhone? That largely comes down to price. For example, the Galaxy C5 is retailing at $366, compared to $649 for an iPhone 6 from Apple with similar storage. Meanwhile, a Galaxy C7 with 64GB of storage will set you back $427 compared to $849 for a device with similar storage from Apple. That’s a considerable price difference on both models, which look and feel like Apple’s iPhones.
Samsung’s new midrange #Galaxy C5 is headed for China later this year https://t.co/Hf0uvU81ZZ pic.twitter.com/SFNb1G6Pc2
— Digital Trends (@DigitalTrends) May 26, 2016
Interestingly, Samsung has chosen to initially release both of these devices exclusively in China. Demand for low-cost but high-quality devices is considerable in China, so Samsung will be hoping to bring in the iPhone crowd in the country with a couple of cheaper alternatives.
Those in the U.S. looking to the Samsung Galaxy C5 and C7 for their next handset will be pleased to hear that both devices have been certified by the FCC, indicating that Samsung has concrete plans to add these devices to their Galaxy line-up in the U.S. and other western markets.
[Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images]
