If you’re a Samsung or Android fan wanting the latest and greatest Android smartphone, then Samsung stands ready to serve you either the S7, the S7 edge, or for those with the cash to seriously indulge, both models at the same time.

Available from all major telcos, selected retailers, both Samsung experience stores in Melbourne and Sydney, and the Samsung online store, the S7 will retail for $1,149 and the S7 edge for $1,249.

As iTWire’s Ray Shaw has previously reported, those who pre-ordered their S7 or S7 edge handsets between February 26 and March 10 2016 in line with Samsung’s T&Cs will be receiving a Gear VR virtual reality headset.

Ray has also written up his first looks article with his thoughts on the new smartphones being ‘sublime’, which you can read here, while Ray has also written about iFixit’s S7 teardown as well here. 

My own ‘first look’ is that the S7, the model I’m reviewing, is unquestionably slim, lightning fast to use, has the excellent ‘always on’ screen that displays the time, date and battery life when the phone is in the ‘off’ standby mode, returns the waterproof capability that the S6 lacked after its introduction with the S5, and finally restores microSD expandability.

Without question, it’s a clear contender for the smoothest and best Android smartphone available on the market, and it is sure to tempt those with various older Android models and brands into wanting to upgrade, if not actually upgrading.

The Gear VR headset is now several generations mature, and Samsung also has the option of its Gear 360 camera, specifically made to work with the S7 and S7 edge smartphones, adding to Samsung's allure as the most sophisticated Android smartphone maker there is. 

Of course, if you’re an iPhone person with an iPhone 6 or 6s, you are unlikely to find any reason to upgrade or switch across, despite the VR headset and 360 camera, simply because of the iOS ecosystem. However, if you're already in the Android sphere, switching is extremely easy to do, and Samsung's Smart Switch software makes it easier still. 

Perhaps if you are an iPhone 5-series or iPhone 4S user you might be more tempted, but you’re more likely to want to upgrade to one of the newer iPhone models, or to simply wait another 6 months for the iPhone 7 and 7s to arrive - if not to get the oft-rumoured iPhone SE if you simply don’t want your smartphone screen to be larger than 4-inches so you have the best one-handed use case.

There’s also the fact that I and many others are yet to see LG’s completely reworked G5 model with its modular add-ons and series of ‘friends’, which itself provides LG’s strongest challenge to Samsung, Apple and everyone else, but from the point of view of being a top-notch smartphone competitor to all, Android fans will find the S7 tempting and compelling, and at the very least, both S7 models are handsets that you’ll want to have a play with in stores to see for yourself!

Commentary from Samsung Australia's Mobile VP, Prasad Gokhale continues below, please read on!

Talking up the S7 and S7 edge’s long awaited retail launches, Prasad Gokhale, the VP of Samsung Electronics Australia’s Mobile Division said: “We’re immensely proud to announce that pre-sales for the Galaxy S7 range have set a new record for Samsung in Australia.

“More Galaxy S7 and S7 edge devices have been sold in a pre-sale period than ever before for a flagship Samsung smartphone launch in Australia.

“We believe the amazing reception for the Galaxy S7 range in Australia is due to the way we have listened to consumers to deliver a device that can offer meaningful benefits to everyday lives.

“This includes features like an amazing camera, IP68 water resistance, fast-charging battery technology, and expandable SD card memory. Australian enthusiasm for our mobile virtual reality platform, Gear VR, has also been a key driver in pre-sale demand.

“In 2016, more Australians will experience virtual reality through Gear VR than ever before. It’s certainly a year that we think will open new frontiers for how Australians create, consume and interact with content through their smartphone,” Gokhale concluded.

Check out Samsung’s S7 and S7 edge site for more information.

As always, there's the timely reminder from MobileMuster that if you're upgrading your mobile phone you can recycle your older, outdated and unsaleable mobile handsets with them. 

Clearly, one or two generation old handsets that are still getting security and OS updates, and which are still valuable for on-sale or redistribution to family members is one thing, but when your old phones are so old they're just taking space in drawers filled with old tech, recycling with MobileMuster is the right thing to do!

And just in case you can't remember precisely what MobileMuster does or haven't yet heard about it, MobileMuster is 'Australia’s phone industry’s official recycling program that ensures old mobile phone products don't end up in landfill - but instead are recycled in a safe, secure and ethical way.' 

To recycle your mobile and find your nearest drop off point, visit MobileMuster here.