With the recent launching of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge during the Samsung Unpacked event at the start of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2016 at Barcelona, Spain early last week, the pressure is now on the Korean tech giant to also roll out the Android 6.0 Marshmallow updates on its other smartphones that are less than two years old.
Samsung has confirmed the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update to its 2014 flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S5, but up until today, it has yet to be made available over-the-air.
Reports have it that there will be an Android 6.0 Marshmallow beta prior to its full release to the Galaxy S5.
However, American carrier T-Mobile recently stated that the Marshmallow update to the Galaxy S5 shall come the way it has done so with the Galaxy S6 and the other 2015 smartphones and tablets of Samsung.
Accordingly, the Marshmallow update to the Samsung Galaxy S5 is still in manufacturer development phase which means that carriers, such as T-Mobile shall have to make testing first before the update is officially released to the public, cites Gotta Be Mobile.
Critics also think that the fact that T-Mobile is planning to release a Galaxy S5 Marshmallow update is a good sign for other Galaxy S5 users in the United States and around the world.
It can be noted that most carriers, both in the US and elsewhere, are silent about their plans on the Marshmallow update but it is most likely that the update will be a sweeping one and shall cover those that offer the Galaxy S5.
Based on a leaked document from Samsung, the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update shall come to the Galaxy S5 sometime in March or April although Samsung has yet to come out with a specific date for such.
Going head-to-head with the LG G3
The Galaxy S5 is perhaps the most unpopular flagship smartphone of Samsung as it is actually the reason why Samsung lost its grip to Apple in 2014 for the title of the world’s best smartphone manufacturer.
Apparently, it was not the smartphone per se but the very little improvements of the Galaxy S5 over its predecessor, the Galaxy S4, that caused Samsung the title.
And it was also the reason why Samsung decided to bounce back big time last year with the groundbreaking designs of the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge, which appear to have been sustained by the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge upon its formal unveiling last week.
Neurogadget recently compared the Galaxy S5 with its contemporary flagship smartphone from the other Korean handset maker, LG, the G3.
Based on the comparisons in the aspects of design, display, processors, graphics card, RAM, storages, cameras, and batteries, it seems that the Galaxy S5 has the advantage over most categories with the exception of design where the G3 seems to have the edge.
But the G3’s design is somewhat flawed too, particularly its volume and power buttons, which have been uncharacteristically placed under the rear camera. The Galaxy S5 was a design disappointment too particularly because of its ugly dotted pattern at its back and its shell is made of plastic.
A good after-sales program
Next month, the Samsung Galaxy S5, the flagship smartphone of the Korean tech giant in 2014, will turn two years old. The Samsung Galaxy S4, on the other hand, would mark its third year in the market.
Interestingly, despite their ages, the two former Samsung flagships are still covered by the so-called Samsung Protection Plus after-sales program from the Korean tech company.
Samsung Protection Plus is actually a two-year plan which covers mechanical and electrical breakdowns after the manufacturer’s warranty expires as well as accidental damage. The after-sales product provides a quick and easy solution and allows up to two replacements in a 12-month period for accidental claims.