Samsung recently issued a
roadmap for updating its most popular phones to Android 7.0 Nougat, and not only are the 2015
Galaxy S6/
S6 edge among them, but
the update is also prepped for release right after, or concurrently with, the
S7 one. That being said, there ought to be some differences with the Nougat update on the S6 and S7, right? After all, these are phones powered by different chipsets and with different specs.
Actually, a posted
Galaxy S6 edge Nougat update manual indicates nothing of the sorts, save for the stock wallpapers, of course. Most of what's in there coincides verbatim with
what is in the S7 Nougat update manual, so that's reassuring for the S6/edge owners. They will be getting the new simplified home screen and settings menu iconography, the redesigned status bar with stackable notifications, the
new Pop-up View mode, and the overhauled,
gesture-based camera interface, and that's most of what matters.
There are a few notable exceptions, though, in two categories - features that weren't present on the Marshmallow build of the S6 anyway, compared to the S7, and a few that are new for the Nougat-laden S7, but won't be on the S6 edge with Android 7.0. Check some of those out to gauge what you will be (or won't be) missing on the S6/S6 edge with Nougat, compared to the S7/S7 edge with the chewy dessert.
5 new or remaining differences between the Galaxy S6/edge and S7/edge Nougat updates
5 new or remaining differences between the Galaxy S6/edge and S7/edge Nougat updates
1. Wide selfie with motion is exclusive to the S7/edge with Nougat
This one will be a doozy not only for S6/edge owners, but also S7/edge ones that are on Marshmallow, as it seems to be a brand new feature arriving exclusively with the S7 and S7 edge Nougat update only. The so-called "wide self-portrait with motion" is nothing more than a Motion Panorama, but taken with the front-facing camera. Your group selfies can now transform easily into short clips or GIFs for funnier shares, provided that you don't move as much while taking the wide selfie.
2. Always-on display
This one's a biggie, but it isn't on the S6 now, and won't be in the future with Nougat, so owners may have learned to live with the absence of this useful battery-drainer anyway. The Nougat update brings many new options and visuals for AoD on the S7, though.
3. Video enhancer
Another S7 Nougat exclusive, this features is borrowed directly from the Note 7, but won't be on your S6 or S6 edge with the Nougat update. It does what is says on the tin, boosting color and contrast in videos, as well as the sound volume and faux surround effects. As you can see, that will go not only for the stock video player, but also for YouTube, Netflix and the like.
4. Camera modes missing on the S6 with Nougat
Hyperlapse, Motion Panorama, Food, Selfie flash, changing the focus area - these are all camera modes and settings that are on the Galaxy S7, but not on the S6 with Nougat. You seemingly do get Fast Motion as an exclusive on it, though.
5. Performance mode
The new Performance Mode that comes in the device maintenance screen with Nougat on the S7/edge is sadly not available on the S6/edge maintenance screen with the update, though it is listed as present in the manual. It lets you change the device’s performance regime according to your usage, such as playing games or everyday tasks, to get the most out of your chipset when needed.
