The Galaxy S7 Active has an announcement date set for June 10th, and I've already said in another place that I'd like to see some changes to the upcoming Active handset as opposed to its 2015 counterpart (the Galaxy S6 Active). While that piece dealt with some additional things I'd like to see Samsung implement into the S7 Active, it didn't deal with one factor I believe is a drawback every year for the Active line: the Galaxy S7 Active appears to be restricted to AT&T – and only AT&T in the US.
The Galaxy S7 Active, like the last 3 generations of Active smartphones (Samsung's first-gen. Active model was the Galaxy S4 Active back in 2013), is restricted to either AT&T and Sprint (the Galaxy S5 Active) or solely AT&T. This is a drawback for what is, otherwise, a stellar flagship that should be experienced by consumers no matter their geographic location.
Simply put, we believe that Samsung should release the Galaxy S7 Active worldwide, and the following work gives 7 reasons to that end.
Reason #1: The Galaxy S7 Active is a flagship phone
Samsung makes a plethora of smartphones each year, we say here at SamMobile whenever a new update is released, and it's true: in any given year, Samsung could make as many as 50 smartphones for different price points to accommodate customers no matter their willingness to spend (or not). A number of smartphones released from Samsung aren't flagships, however, and we're not surprised to see them released only in specific regions. I have no love lost over non-flagship smartphones such as the Galaxy J series if they're not released worldwide. I feel no loss in my consumer choice if the Galaxy A series doesn't make its way to the US (I have some American friends that do want a Galaxy A9 Pro to come to the States, though, Samsung).
The Galaxy S7 Active doesn't sit in the camp of budget-friendly specs and budget-friendly pricing; it is a smartphone that will cost around $700 in the US (which matches the pricing of the Galaxy Note 5) and has high-end specs to go with it. From leaked specs, we know that it will have a 5.1-inch Quad HD display, a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM, 32GB of storage, 5MP front camera with f/1.7 aperture, 12MP back camera with Dual Pixel phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and an f/1.7 aperture, and a 4,000mAh battery. These are industry-standard flagship specs, nothing near the budget-friendly J series offerings (the J series is fantastic, but it doesn't have flagship status).
With these flagship specs, and Samsung's desire to encourage consumers to buy its high-end smartphones, it's odd that the Galaxy S7 Active is the most “hidden” flagship on the market – as though it's a bastard stepchild that no one wants. A flagship such as the S7 Active shouldn't be “sidelined” from a worldwide release, even if Samsung is making money from its AT&T exclusive agreement.
Reason #2: Every other Galaxy S flagship phone gets a worldwide release
Samsung's Galaxy S line has always been popular, and Samsung customers buy the Galaxy S series more than any other that Samsung sells (including the Galaxy Note series). The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge were given a worldwide release, as has been the trend with the Galaxy S line. The Active series is the only flagship series bearing the Galaxy S moniker that hasn't seen a worldwide release since its inception.
If Galaxy S flagships are released worldwide, then it seems somewhat odd that the Galaxy S7 Active would get a carrier-exclusive release to only AT&T customers.
Reason #3: The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge show a beautiful form, but the Galaxy S7 Active showcases a durable form
The form vs. function debate when it comes to smartphones is one that will never end, but those who take a stake on either side of it have yet to consider that nearly everyone prefers form and function; with form, though, it's always been a matter of durability vs. fragility.
Some want a beautiful form and don't mind the drop risks associated with it. I've had a feeling that my Galaxy S7 edge is extremely fragile and could drop out of my hands and crack the screen at any moment. Despite between 4-6 drops on its face, sides, and back combined, the device doesn't bear a scratch or crack – yet, without screen protector or case on it.
In contrast, some people appreciate the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge but prefer the durable form factor of the Galaxy S7 Active. It is a device that won't compromise on the high-end specs, great camera, and trademark Samsung Super AMOLED display while providing the durable form factor sans screen protector and case that many Samsung customers crave.
The Galaxy S6 Active has been dropped numerous times, carelessly, having hit the floor on its face with a “wham” that didn't affect the device at all. After 10 months, the Galaxy S6 Active is still invincible and the Galaxy S7 Active, with its military standard build, will prove just as invincible if not more. I can only hope the Galaxy S7 edge will prove just as invincible after the next 7 months.
Reason #4: Exclusivity dilutes the “flagship” label; making the Galaxy S7 Active an AT&T exclusive waters down its flagship status
The Galaxy S7 Active has the flagship specs and battery life to prove its flagship status, but its AT&T exclusive is what's holding this phone back.
How can a phone be touted as a flagship if it's “exclusive” to one single carrier worldwide? This is why the Galaxy S7 Active's specs clash with Samsung's treatment of the device. Even though the impressive spec sheet of the S7 Active will stare consumers in the face, it's hard to treat a phone like the flagship it is when Samsung only intends this phone to be sold at AT&T.
Verizon customers may recall the issue with Sony's Xperia Z4v: the company, after having been estranged from Verizon customers for a few years, attempted to release the Xperia Z4 after the Xperia Z5 was released. Unfortunately, Verizon decided to pull the Z4v altogether, but the main problem with the device is that Sony attempted to sell the Z4 in the US months after the phone's announcement (apart from the fact that the Japanese manufacturer seems disinterested in courting the American consumer public) — and made it a Verizon exclusive, among other things (who wants an exclusive phone that's one generation behind the current one?)
Samsung doesn't have the same problems that Sony does with the American public, but the Korean giant's Galaxy S7 Active can't receive the public label it deserves (“flagship”) because only 1 carrier worldwide has access to it. When all is said and done, the Galaxy S7 Active and the Active smartphone series will rise or fall on Samsung's actions. Consumer Reports has ranked the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge as their best smartphones this year, but a phone like the Galaxy S7 Active that proves “hard to get” is a phone that, ultimately, no one buys because few want it. At some point, it seems crazy to want a phone that you can't have.
Reason #5: The Galaxy S7 Active is what the original Galaxy S7 should've been
The arrival of the Galaxy S6 edge to market prompted many tech reviewers to deem the S6 edge Samsung's true flagship, with the regular Galaxy S6 suddenly getting something of an “honorable mention” in flagship discussions rather than owning the spotlight. With the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge, the same rule applies. With the Galaxy S7 being less prestigious than the Galaxy S7 edge, some question why Samsung continues to make a non-edge Galaxy S phone each year.
I think it's a good question, though I also realize that some consumers prefer the non-edge Galaxy S7 to its curved sibling. And yet, I think that, in its current form, Samsung hasn't done enough to make the regular Galaxy S7 stand out. To me, the Galaxy S7 Active is what the regular Galaxy S7 should have been.
One good way to revive the regular Galaxy S7 and other regular Galaxy S models in the future would be to transform it into the Active series. For those who don't want the edge, they could choose to have a more durable smartphone. Of course, Samsung could still maintain the current look of the Galaxy S7 for those who want something fashionable, but those who prize element resistance over fashion could have a device that would have the form they prize with the functionality they prize.
Oh, and should Samsung do this, I'd like to see Samsung bring the tried-and-true Active key over to the regular Galaxy S line as well so that, with the press of the button, you can activate anything from internet radio to news apps to the camera and even activate your web browser or cloud storage apps. The 4,000mAh battery rumored for the Galaxy S7 Active should come to the Galaxy S lineup so that, in the future, the regular Galaxy S smartphone should at least have a battery to rival the Galaxy S edge lineup.
As the Galaxy S7 has gotten a worldwide release, so should the Galaxy S7 Active (the transformed one we've discussed here).
Reason #6: Samsung's profit from the AT&T exclusive Galaxy S7 Active could increase massively with a worldwide release
Samsung has a deal with AT&T whereby it makes a massive profit from the Galaxy S7 Active (otherwise, why even have an exclusive in the first place?), but Samsung could never know what its profit could be if it would release the S7 Active worldwide.
Sure, Samsung has probably done its research. And, Samsung has figured that AT&T is likely one carrier that appreciates what it brings to the table in the Active lineup. With the Galaxy S5 Active, Samsung at least considered that Sprint would also appreciate the Active smartphone (which was renamed the Galaxy S5 Sport on Sprint). And yet, AT&T and Sprint aren't the only carriers that would appreciate the Galaxy S7 Active, and AT&T and Sprint customers aren't the only ones that would appreciate the S7 Active if Samsung released it worldwide.
UK customers were upset over being denied the Galaxy Note 5, but Samsung's research showed that the UK didn't buy previous Note models in as overwhelming a fashion as say, the US market. Despite the research, a number of UK citizens in our readership would have loved the opportunity to get the Note 5. I think the same overwhelming, positive response would also come to the S7 Active if Samsung would give it a worldwide release (even if Samsung's research suggests differently).
Reason #7: The Galaxy S7 Active is appropriately named, but AT&T customers in the US aren't the only active consumers worldwide
The Galaxy S7 Active has the word “active” in its name, but AT&T customers aren't the only customers who are active and given to working out on a regular basis. The phone's name is a direct contradiction to its availability: you can't name a phone “active,” then give this phone with a universal name to a very restricted user base (specifically, AT&T US customers).
My take on this? Samsung should launch the Galaxy S7 Active worldwide and give this phone the worldwide release it deserves.
Conclusion
We've covered a lot of ground here, but there are a few common threads that run through this discussion.
First, the Galaxy S7 Active, as has been the case with its direct predecessor, the Galaxy S6 Active, is a flagship phone that rivals even the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge with a bigger battery that will outman any other handset from the Korean giant on the market. As such, it deserves “the flagship treatment,” which involves releasing it to all carriers worldwide (at least the major ones). Samsung's decision to make the S7 Active an exclusive with AT&T seems to contradict the idea behind a flagship device. Flagships should be launched worldwide because, if they're as good as manufacturers say they are, then everyone across the globe should get access to and enjoy them (not just a select few on one select carrier). If it's named “Active,” then the Galaxy S7 Active will appeal to all persons who, by default, are active and on-the-go.
Next, the Galaxy S7 Active makes more sense as the side-by-side sibling of the Galaxy S7 edge than the regular Galaxy S7. Yet, Samsung could launch both versions for a worldwide Galaxy S7 Active that would allow customers to choose. Despite the company's profit made from the phone, Samsung could make more money from a worldwide release. There are a number of Galaxy S7 (regular) customers who, if given the choice, would choose the Galaxy S7 Active's build quality over the regular S7 build quality. Samsung may not know who these customers are because it has yet to determine who would buy it, but perhaps it's time for the Korean giant to enact yet another “experiment” that just might pay big dividends in the long run.
