Samsung’s new Edge
In a time when the shapes of gadgets shift in a blink, even the world’s top tech brands go to great lengths to give us something new. It’s not enough that we get supreme connectivity in a sleek and slim package, now the tech giants are putting more emphasis on the lifestyles their devices encourage.
“People think that Samsung is really just a technology company, but what we wanted to say is that it’s more than just technology. We’re a company that wants to inspire people and create the future by making a real difference in the way the creative process is done, in a way that people are inspired by the things that we have. With that, we can inspire people to create new things with the technology that actually matters,” explained Samsung Philippines’ head of IT and mobile Digs Dimagiba as he offered an exclusive sneak peek of Sam- sung’s newest mobile phone pair, the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge.
Unlike its predecessor, the Galaxy S5, which experienced a plateau in international sales when it launched last year, the S6 series comes in a more positive light, with its enhanced specs, refined features, and, as in the case of the new S6 Edge, a revolutionary design. “The Edge has the world’s first dual-edge display. It’s not just for aesthetics, it comes with a function,” explained Samsung Philippines’ product marketing head of IT and mobile business Rhinn Piczon. The wraparound glass feature of Samsung S6 Edge’s screen makes for more vivid display, as well as a more tactile experience that utilizes the side tabs for alerts and easy contacts. And, well, it just looks oh-so-stylish.
Coming in deluxe hues like white pearl, black sapphire, emerald green, blue topaz, and gold platinum, the S6 and the S6 Edge’s sartorial traits have inspired Samsung to collaborate with the Fashion Design Council of the Philippines (FDCP).
“Samsung used to be a part of the fashion lifestyle all the time. But for a time they laid low. So, it’s like a renewal of vows between fashion and technology. Now, they’re making a comeback, and I think their new phone is just right for it,“explained the current FDCP president Anthony Nocom, who also played host for the Samsung S6 pre-launch.
The 35 members of the FDCP are set to highlight the launch of the new Samsung mobile phones with the S Carpet: Art & Fashion event on April 17, 6 p.m., at the Mega Fashion Hall. With it will be a fashion spectacle that celebrates the aesthetic attributes flaunted with the entry of these new phones in the market. “The S6 Edge is easier to handle; the curve on the side and the materials they used are so light. It’s very sharp. I think that this phone will outdate the other brands,” Nocom added.
“We think that it’s a piece of art, that’s why it’s only proper that the best accessory for it is another piece of art,” noted Dimagiba, while introducing another collaborator for the event, renowned Filipina jewelry designer Marilou Co. “We created a phone cover made of 18 karat gold embedded with 60 diamonds,” Co explained, adding that the total cost of the famed commissioned accessory could fetch up to a million pesos. “This will probably be the world’s most studded phone accessory. It will be like the crown jewels,” Dimagiba shared.
Samsung also used Gorilla Glass for its newer mobile phone models, a move that is unprecedented in the industry. “It’s the strongest glass material that can be put on a phone, so it’s extremely durable,” Dimagiba quipped. And to best showcase this feat, Samsung tapped acclaimed glass sculptor Ramon Orlina.
“I’m also a techy person, so I like speed, fast and dynamic shapes,” Orlina shared when talking about his five-piece collection specifically created for the event. Orlina will follow the palette of the new Samsung models, yet one distinct sculpture — his first ever crafted in clear optical glass — will prove to be the most precious. “It will be very clear. No imperfections!” Orlina promised.
Yet, with much anticipation for the S6 Edge’s aesthetic accomplishments, Dimagiba was quick to remind everyone of what really is at the heart of this new smartphone. “The S6 Edge actually has the world’s first octa-core (processor) that’s designed for 64-bit, 14-nanometer. So that’s faster and more fuel-efficient. It’s actually our quickest phone in the whole S series,” he said, noting that these features better allow users to maximize connectivity and multitasking that once used to take a toll on mobile phones, particularly with battery life. The Samsung S6 Edge also introduces the fast wireless charging dock, promising four hours of use in just 10 minutes of juicing, making wall-hogging a thing of the past.
“We talk about next is now, that’s what we want to do. We’re accelerating technology, making it accessible right now for people,” Dimagiba said. That’s why, after the phone’s launch at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona just last month, speculations on short supply were feared due to staggering global demands.
“A lot of people are pre-ordering just to make sure that they have it. I think that it’s going to outsell any other Samsung flagships we’ve had in the past and I think it will be sold out extremely fast,” Dimagiba said; that is why the Samsung Experience Stores in the country are offering reservations for the new handset models before the actual launch on April 17.
Yet, clearly, nothing would dampen the Samsung’s S Carpet launch. With an army of artists and style makers all armed with the latest lifestyle weapon of choice, perhaps Samsung has found its edge as a creative force.
“We look forward to a long partnership of showing how technology can better to nurture creativity and fashion and inspire the new generation to actually get into these things and look for more beauty in the world,” said Dimagiba.
In deluxe hues like white
pearl, black sapphire, emerald green, blue topaz, and gold platinum, the S6 and the S6 Edge’s sartorial traits have inspired Samsung
to collaborate with the Fashion Design Council of
the Philippines (FDCP).