Galaxy S7 Rumors, Specs & Release Date: New Samsung Galaxy Handset and Edge Variant to Arrive in February?

New rumors suggest that Samsung may be once again ditching its traditional release cycle for the launch of the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge.

But aside from coming at an earlier date, it seems the upcoming flagship handsets from the South Korean tech giant will also come in two different sizes.

According to CNET, various sources, noted that the two new smartphone models will both arrive in February 20 of next year. The Galaxy S7 will reportedly have a 5.2-inch screen while its Edge counterpart will pack a display size of 5.5-inch. In keeping with its naming convention, the former will have straight edges while the latter will feature curved ones.

Given the new details about the Galaxy S7 line, it seems Samsung is looking to try something new again this year. In previous releases, the company separated the launch of its smaller devices, such as those from the Galaxy S family, from the bigger gadgets, which belong to the Galaxy Note line, Ars Technica reported.

This year, Samsung officially debuted the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge in April. Then, four months later, the Galaxy Note 5 came out.

Aside from surprising tech fans with a non-traditional release schedule, the early launches also play another important role in Samsung's strategy. By debuting the new devices earlier than expected, the company is able to beat its main competitor Apple in offering fresh gadgets to consumers. For instance, for the Galaxy Note 5, Samsung was able to launch it a month before the iPhone 6's debut.

It seems Samsung will also execute the same strategy next year by veering away from its traditional annual release cycle. But this time, instead of a month, the company will launch its two new devices seven whole months before the anticipated release of the highly rumored iPhone 7, which is slated to come out in September, The Source reported.

As for the expected specs of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, previous reports indicated that Samsung will bring back support for microSD cards. This is probably in response to the reaction it received after it unveiled the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge without an option for an expandable storage.

In addition, the upcoming devices are expected to feature USB Type C ports. The new handsets will also run on the latest Snapdragon 820, which would signify Samsung's renewed partnership with chip-maker Qualcomm.