Samsung rumoured to launch Galaxy S7 Mini to compete with iPhone SE

Following the success of its high-end Galaxy models that went on sale on 10 March, Samsung could be planning their spinoffs. The company is reportedly working on a mini version of its Galaxy S7 flagship smartphone that would compete with Apple's rumoured upcoming 4in iPhone.

Called Galaxy S7 Mini, the new device is expected to sport a 4.6in screen with resolution at 720 x 1280 pixels. It could either use quad-core Snapdragon 820 or octa-core Exynos 8890, similar processors powering the Galaxy S7 and its curved screen variant, according to Taiwanese site Apple Daily, quoted by Sammobile.

Other key features of the handset are 3GB RAM and a 12 megapixel camera at the back. In terms of thickness, it is expected to be just 9.9mm thin.

After the market rollout of the Galaxy S6 and the S6 Edge, Samsung was rumoured to be releasing a rugged and a mini versions. While the S6 Active was released in June 2015, the compact variant never saw the light of day.

Meanwhile, Apple is expected to hold a media event on 21 March, where it is likely to announce a cheaper iPhone dubbed the iPhone SE, the successor to the iPhone 5C. In terms of design, the iPhone SE is rumoured to be identical to the iPhone 5s, and use the latest A9 and M9 processors and NFC chip to work with Apple Pay. Apart from the new iPhone, expect a 9.7in iPad Pro and a range of straps for the Apple Watch.

Samsung recently said the Galaxy S7 and the S7 Edge have generated more pre-orders than any other Galaxy smartphones in the UK. The company saw about 2.5 times more pre-orders than any other Galaxy model in the country. The S7 Edge accounted for about 61% of total pre-orders in the Europe. Carphone Warehouse reported a 200% increase in pre-orders for the new Galaxy phones compared to the S6 and the S6 Edge.

More than 100,000 units of the Galaxy S7 were sold in South Korea within the first two days of its market release. Sales of the Galaxy S7 and the S7 Edge reached a combined 60,000 on 11 March and 40,000 the following day.