Smartphone enthusiasts already have an idea that the Samsung Galaxy S7 is a Galaxy S5 in a Galaxy S6 body, but a new teardown report from analysis group IHS definitively proves that there is little in the 2016 flagship that is actually new.
IHS claims that the Galaxy S7 doesn’t pack as much value for its price compared to its competition. The handset costs $255 to build, between components and manufacturing, but sells for about $672, depending on the carrier. In comparison, the iPhone 6s costs $187.91 for components and manufacturing and sells for $649.
“The Galaxy S7 is the upgrade Samsung had to do, but there’s not a lot of trailblazing happening on the device,” IHS analyst Andrew Rassweiler said in a research note. “It’s more a case of small refinements.”
The Samsung Galaxy S7 includes some very pricey components; its Quad HD display and the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chip make up most of the device’s cost. While the 820 is touted as the fastest chip currently on the market, some hands-on tests have shown the device being outperformed by the iPhone 6s.
However, Rassweiler counts the refinement of the Galaxy S7 camera, which has fewer megapixels and a larger aperture than the Galaxy S6, as an improvement. These upgrades lend themselves to clearer imaging and better low-light photos.
The reintroduction of features like a large battery, expandable storage and water resistance are also positive, according to Rassweiler, particularly coupled with some design enhancements like the curved back panel.
Samsung maintained the glass-and-metal unibody design it introduced on the Galaxy S6 while implementing expandable storage and water resistance, features the iPhone 6s lacks. Samsung’s marketing has highlighted the water limitations of the iPhone in comparison to the Galaxy S7.
Overall, the Galaxy S7 is cheaper to produce thanthe 2015 Galaxy S6 Edge, which costs $290 for components and manufacturing. The fact that the devices include many similar features likely contributed to the decrease in production cost.
