Thanks to the absolute control Apple has over iOS, it can make its hardware and software work together in a way that few other companies can, which is why the iPhone is able to do so much with hardware that, at least on paper, is weaker than what most high-end smartphones have. Samsung doesn’t have nearly the same level of control over Android, but despite that, the company is apparently trying to take a software-centric approach to the Galaxy S7 by having software optimization that it hopes will match, or even exceed that of the iPhone.
This year’s Samsung Galaxy S6 finally brought the major shakeup in design that many had long been hoping for, alongside tweaks and improvements to Touchwiz that made it a bit more streamlined than in years past. While the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge weren’t without their faults, there’s no denying that their arrival signaled a new era for Samsung. Now the question is where Samsung will go from here. The rumor mill has been churning with increased intensity as of late and we are starting to get a clearer picture of what the Samsung Galaxy S7 will bring to the table. First, we can reportedly expect only minor changes in design this time around, though the microSD slot could be making a much desired comeback. Where the Galaxy S7 could really shine is in the software. A new report out of China suggests that Samsung is taking a software-centric approach to their Next Big Thing, and no that doesn’t mean throwing on a bunch of unnecessary extra software features (that’s what the Galaxy S4 and S5 were for).