Samsung Galaxy S6 out-specs iPhone 6 with curved screen, fingerprint scanner, fast charging - and a high price

Samsung bids to better Apple with higher-res screen and faster charging - with prices starting at €699

Samsung has launched its latest flagship Galaxy smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S6, which will come in two versions - including one, called the Galaxy S6 Edge, with a screen that curves around one edge of the phone. However, buyers seduced by the smartphones' design will have to spend at least €699, according to leaked reports.

The curved edge is intended to be used to convey events, such as incoming phone calls and text messages, calendar alerts and so on. The feature has been long trailed by Samsung. However, it is expected to convey a premium price when Samsung discloses pricing and availability

The new phones are arguably the highlight so far of the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona this week.

With an all glass and metal shell, the S6 will also include an improved camera, with the front camera upgraded to five mega-pixels and the rear camera to 16 mega-pixels - a decision intended to provide a positive differentiator from the current range of Apple smartphones, which currently max out at eight mega-pixels. It also includes built-in support for wireless charging.

Samsung claims that the camera can be launched in under a second, and with a combination of optical image stabilisation and an f1.9 aperature is capable of improved shots in low-lighting.

Samsung also claims that the S6 can be fully charged in half the time it takes an Apple iPhone 6 to charge, with a so-called "fast charge" of 10 mins offering four hours of use. According to Samsung, this will be enough to watch two hours of high-definition video.

However, the new design features mean that the S6 smartphones will not feature removable and replaceable batteries, nor allow users to insert memory cards - decisions that may put off some buyers, who preferred the Samsung Galaxy over Apple's iPhones precisely because of those features.

It also remains to be seen how well the Galaxy S6 Edge stands up to the rigours of everyday use, including the inevitable knocks and drops, and how much it might cost to repair the curved screen if it gets cracked.

The phones themselves will come with a choice of 32 gigabytes (GB), 64GB or 128GB memory and in five different shades. Both phones will have 5.1-inch QHD Super-AMOLED screens, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4, which Samsung claims boast 577 pixels per inch - the highest pixel density of any current smartphone. Samsung has also developed its own rival to Apple Pay enabling the phone to be used to make credit or debit card payments with just one tap of the phone.

The smartphones will come bundled with Microsoft's Skype, Onenote and OneDrive applications, all free, and Microsoft has even offered 100GB in extra storage for two years with OneDrive for Galazy S6 buyers. Intel, meanwhile, is offering a free copy - not a trial - of McAfee VirusScan Mobile pre-loaded onto the devices.

And, finally, like the Apple iPhone 6, the Galaxy S6 will also include a built-in fingerprint scanner to unlock the phone, a reactivation lock to guard against theft and advanced tokenisation.

Prices, though, are comparable with Apple's, with 32GB models starting at €699, according to leaked reports, for the Galaxy S6, and the S6 Edge costing an extra €150. The 128GB Galaxy S6 Edge will cost an eye-watering €1,049. Three and Vodafone have already lined up to sell the devices in the UK.