Did you pre-order or are you thinking about pre-ordering the Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge? Well, if you’re still on the fence just a reminder that there’s one spec missing from the latest high-end Samsung smartphones.
While Samsung brought back some specs that fans were missing like the microSD card slot and the IP68 water/dust proofing, they took something that some fans absolutely love in the IR blaster. The port isn’t a deal-breaker for most people, but there’s some people who absolutely love the option to open that Peel Smart Remote app on their phone and change the channel on the TV.
There’s options for adding IR to your phone, but they’re quite frankly unwieldy and a pain to carry around. So, if you’re looking for the IR port on the Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge unfortunately you’re out of luck.
Do you use the IR blaster on your smartphone? Is the removal a good thing or bad thing?
Meh was useful once but never used it again. depends on your home system but I’ve got a universal remote anyway so…
Deal breaker, IN the near future I will currently be switching back over to my s6, I hate the new features of my s7, they took all the basic essentials of life away and just added a fancy camera for satisfaction. I am currently stuck Watching the news right now.
It likely isn’t a deal breaker, but oh my how the IR blaster on my S4 was a blessing when the remote could not be found. It was more cumbersome to use than a real remote, but it worked like a champ. I had always planned on changing channels of TVs in public places, but never got around to it. Guess I never will…
Its certainly a deal breaker for me. There are some new TV models that work through a wifi network and can be controlled through a wifi app but IR is still the dominant technology and i predict that it will be till 2018-20. I am using a CodeMatics app on my Note 4. I didn’t go to Note 5 because of its missing IR blaster. Now when i was thinking of getting s7 edge, its missing from that too.
I typically would use the GoogleTV app for actually controlling the TV, but that app can’t turn the TV on. Nor could it control a cable box. So…. I guess that’s where we’re at.
So what options are there to get the remote that works?
I used my Galaxy S5 as a remote almost every night, I’m not happy to learn that my new Galaxy S7 Edge is missing the IR sensory. It was nice to use the Peel app for all my devices, now I have to download extra apps on my phone to use it as a controller for my tv, dvr, blu-ray player, ect.
What extra apps did you download? I want mine to work as well
I use the xfinity app because I have Comcast and Tablo because that is my DVR, and Roku. Basically ant we based apps from your smart TV or cable provider.
The other option is to use a tablet. I got a free Samsung Tab4 when I bought my phone from AT&T.
Ok. Thanks!
It’s a bad thing they toke it out maybe I don’t use it every day but when I do I think love my Samsung. Looks like I go back to my s4. Was happy with the s7 till I see no blaster.
Ohmygosh. Got my S7 today (yes, TODAY, which was a total shock because I was expecting it to arrive on the 11th). Just now figured out there is NO IR BLASTER. Ok, seriously? It’s been years since I’ve needed the actual remote that goes with my TV and Roku box. I don’t even know where the hell they are! Bad form Samsung, it’s going back!
Walked into Verizon today to order a galaxy s7, walked out sad and with an s5 for another year. The IR blaster controls everything in my house and at work, maybe next year. I really don’t want to leave Samsung, but I didn’t get an S6 because of the SD card slot and lack of removable battery. I was willing to look past the battery part, but not my precious blaster.
IR blasters are on their way out. The g5 doesn’t have one anymore either. It’s sad, but the fact is most people don’t use them anymore. I have one on my m8, and I don’t use it anymore.
Tl;Dr: Samsung isn’t going to bring back the ir blaster.
I could’ve sworn the G5 had an IR blaster. Are you sure we’re talking about the LG G5?
it actually does have an IR blaster. But not worth the fugly design imo. I prefer the S7’s design, even if it means no IR blaster.
☺ @fugly design. I’ll take that fugly design with the removable battery if T-Mobile had the BOGO offer that they had recently on the S7/S7 Edge. I really would rather that the Note 6 brings all three features back (IR blaster, expandable storage and removable battery). IP68 certification doesn’t tickle my fancy as much, but it will be an appreciated addition
Removable batteries are so over rated. The only point in them is if you want to replace it when the battery starts dying. Even then, you can still get the battery replaced in most phones anyway.
I have 4 spare batteries for my S4, bought online for like $30. Had my phone for 3 years and it still works great thanks to renewed battery life.
Short of dropping it, the battery is the first component to wear out.
So? You can get a battery replaced without too much trouble. My HTC One M8 has a sealed battery and the battery lasts about the same as it did when I bought it in September of 2014.
Deal Breaker, why is Samsung moving backward in facilitating customer.
deal breaker!!! i m gona miss this feature!
I just cancelled my pre-order due to this.
Moron
IR must be such a cheap feature to include and is super handy. Stupid move Samsung
I was genuinely caught by surprise when I found the S7 / S7 Edge didn’t have an IR blaster anymore. I didn’t notice this on the Note 5 … which means I must not have used the feature much. However, that said, it’s a feature that you will miss once you realise it’s not there and you go to use it. We have a Sony smart TV, which we can control (over WiFi) using Sony’s companion app, but it’s not always reliable — sometimes it doesn’t connect, sometimes I realise my phone isn’t on the home WiFi connection for whatever… Read more »
Absolute deal breaker. My s4 is dying so cant really wait for s8 so g5 it is.
Once again, with the LG G5, LG seems to be catering to Samsung’s disgruntled audience. Now, if they can just make a worthy Note competitor – I’m a Note user – (solid S-Pen features, removable battery, IR blaster, expandable storage, sleek design, and less bloatware), it’s goodbye Samsung for good. Until then, compromise is the name of this game and I’ll be sticking to my Note 4 for a while. ?
I’ve never had a phone with an IR blaster, so I guess I won’t know what I’m missing.
You’re not missing much, it’s fun for a while but I’ve almost forgotten I have one on my m8
I use mine quite often. Either the remote is down a cushion somewhere and I’m too lazy to look for it, or it’s on the end table but my phone is right next to me. Not my primary remote, but it gets a fair bit of use.
It’s nice, and I did use it for a while with my M8, but eventually I stopped using it completely. It would be nice to have on my s7 edge but it’s not something I cry over. The display quality more than makes up for it.
IMHO I’d rather have best in class camera, battery, and display, instead of inferior camera battery and display + IR blaster / removable battery.
This sucks, use my IR blaster on the S6 all the time. Hopefully they bring it back for the S8.
that is terrible. i preordered expecting it would have more features than my s4 not less. i use the ir every day and that is the reason i chose a samsung so i didnt have to check all the specs on some dodgy brand from china.
use the IR blaster all the time on my One M8 and it’s high on my list of desirable functions for my next phone. The impending HTC 10 looks to ditch this functionality too which was why I’d looked to see if Samsung included it with the S7 edge, because I would’ve jumped ship to Samsung in order to keep this function. Looks like no need, but it’s a shame. I can understand how many owners wouldn’t ever use it, but I put that down to mental lethargy on their part – after all, who doesn’t occasionally need a remote… Read more »
It would be interesting to know from a production cost, how much did it really save leaving the IR out? At least the MicroSD was included this time.
I think they are trying to tell us its time to forget ir…..just like how apple will remove head phone jack for their new iphones
will / might
This was removed for note5, wrong move by samsung 🙁
And not sure why u need a article for each feature that was removed from the phone
That I’m aware, only one feature was notably removed, and we’ve written one article about it.