However Samsung has shaken up the sizes — the Edge is now 5.5 inches, larger than the standard S7 at 5.1 inches. Samsung's two new flagship phones, the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge. Credit:Hannah Francis Fans of smaller phones will be disappointed with this change. I love the look and functionality of the Edge line, which debuted last year, but I have small hands and prefer a 5-inch screen for day-to-day use. Stretching my thumb across to the left side of the 5.5-inch S7 Edge one-handed is doable but not comfortable. The size increase could also be an indication Samsung has plans to scrap the phablet style 'Plus' model of the Edge — last year's S6 Plus was 5.7 inches, just 0.2 inches bigger than the new Edge. The Galaxy S7 meanwhile maintains the 5.1-inch screen seen in the S6 but it is raised slightly around the edges. The effect makes it look curiously old-fashioned compared to the sleek, flat screens seen on last year's models.

What's inside that counts Hardware on both models is marginally better than previous iterations, with improved internal smarts — including a 64-bit octacore (2.3GHz Quad + 1.6GHz Quad) or quadcore (2.15GHz Dual + 1.6GHz Dual) processor, depending on country of release, plus 4GB of RAM. The Samsung Galaxy S7 at its unveiling in Barcelona. Credit:Hannah Francis With the camera, it's a case of win some, lose some. Samsung has trimmed pixel density from 16 megapixels to 12, but added a dual-pixel rear camera, which makes auto-focus miles faster. Speed tests between the S6 Edge Plus and the S7 using photographs in a light-controlled box showed the dual camera focused on an image almost instantly, while the older model took about a second to focus. Samsung also took a swipe at main rival Apple showing a similar difference in focus times compared to the iPhone 6 Plus.

Samsung's Galaxy S7 Edge. Credit:Hannah Francis iPhone cameras are of a very high standard but they do struggle with focusing close up and with low light shots. The new Samsung Galaxy cameras also have a higher aperture of f1.7 to let more light in. Other features Samsung has reintroduced to the range will be we welcome news to many Galaxy fans. The camera on the S7 Edge, left, has a higher aperture than last year's Note 5. Credit:Hannah Francis The SIM card tray includes two spaces for either an SD card or a second SIM, depending on the market of release. The omission of a memory slot in the S6 range was a bugbear for many users. The S7 range will come with 32GB internal storage, with the storage slot supporting up to 200GB.

Another reintroduced feature which will give the new Samsungs an edge over the iPhone is waterproofing. Last seen on the Galaxy S5, Samsung has managed an improved IP rating of 68, which is top of the range and means it's immersible in water up to 1.5 metres deep for up to 30 minutes. The cameras have seen a bit of a downagrade in terms of raw megapixels, but performance is much faster. Credit:Hannah Francis A couple of years ago my Samsung Galaxy S5 had a harrowing encounter with a (clean!) toilet bowl, which demonstrated just how valuable water resistance can be when it comes to protecting an expensive phone. Battery life is also improved at 3000mAh in the Galaxy S7 and 3600mAh in the S7 Edge, up from 2550mAh and 2600mAh, respectively. Again this is a big advantage over the iPhone 6s which has just 1715mAh battery, which has continued to bug many Apple users. Even the iPhone 6s Plus has less at 2750mAh despite its larger size. Special software lets apps take advantage of the S7 Edge's curved sides. Credit:Hannah Francis

An edge on Android Software-wise there are a few nice new features on both new Galaxy phones. Samsung has added extra functionality to the new Edge to give it some more, well, edge over the plain S7. As with last year's model, the extra appeal (apart from the look — that high-definition screen pops like a jewel with the curved edges) is extra features accessible by swiping left from the right edge of the screen. With the S7 Edge Samsung has opened up the edge panel to third-party developers so we can expect to see all sorts of customisable shortcuts and tools.

Within the native apps, some have expanded to show two columns of icons rather than one, while there are new inbuilt tools including a ruler, a compass and a torch. A cute addition is the "always-on" lockscreen which displays the time or other visuals when the phone is locked, but uses a tiny fraction of battery power. LG unveiled a similar feature with its new G5 smartphone at MWC. Of interest to fans of mobile gaming is the S7 and S7 Edge's new "gaming mode", designed to optimise the phones for game playing. A Game Launcher serves as a hub for game settings which include turning off notifications for uninterrupted play, and changing the screen resolution to optimise battery power. An improved cooling system is designed to keep the phone from overheating during extensive use. Both new models have wireless charging and NFC mobile payment capabilities, and Samsung announced it is bringing Samsung Pay to Australia this year, with American Express the only announced partner thus far. The new phones will be available in Black Onyx, Gold Platinum, Silver Titanium and White Pearl — no sign of trendy Rose Gold anywhere — and will be available March 11, with preorders from February 26.

In Australia the Galaxy S7 will be priced at RRP $1149 and the S7 Edge at RRP $1249. Those who preorder either of the new Galaxy phones will also receive a free Gear VR headset. Key specs As I said, there's a lot to like. Operating system: Android 6.0 Marshmallow Storage: 32GB, with SD card slot up to 200GB