Samsung's new Galaxy S6: Too much like the iPhone?
Samsung launched its Galaxy S6 today and I imagine the people least happy to see it were Apple's lawyers. The poor things likely had their Sundays disrupted by their competitor's new phone, alarmed to see just how similar it was to the iPhone 6. As my colleague Jessica Dolcourt pointed out in her very detailed review, the Galaxy S6 attempts to find parity with the iPhone 6. The new metal and glass design is clearly meant to appeal to a more refined palate. And look, there's even a fingerprint scanner. Just as Apple caught up to Samsung on screen size with the iPhone 6, now Samsung is trying to close the gap on perceptions of both quality and simplicity. There's less supposedly exciting software. Which just might make the phone easier to use. And suddenly, you can no longer replace the battery or add more memory. Beauty, for once, has superseded function. With the use of glass and aluminum, it's inevitable that some will believe an iPhone 4 met an iPhone 6 on a blind date and they immediately became Seoulmates. The use of more varied colors offers some greater level of differentiation. Clearly, those who plan to upgrade from an S5 will largely be impressed with the two new phones offering many more style options. But what will happen when it comes to inspiring the great neutrals to come over to Samsung's side?In teasing the S6, Samsung pushed concepts such as vision and productivity. Are these powerful enough to combat Apple's clear resurgence and style dominance? In the US especially, Samsung positioned itself squarely against the iPhone in the past, to great commercial success. Thanks to all the design similarities, that no longer seems to the the case. Samsung used to mock iPhone users as wall huggers, desperate to be close to a power outlet or they'll have no outlet for their Facebook posts. That idea may also recede.Of the two new Galaxys, the Edge seems to offer more obvious originality. Looking at the various aspects of the S6, I find myself curiously drawn to the one that seems British racing green. (Mind you, I thought #TheDress was white and gold.) There's surely little doubt that Samsung has taken a look at the core of Apple's success and decided that it's better to compete head-on. The company must hope, though, that the S6 isn't seen as a knock-off.