Skip to main content

Let the Games begin: Samsung unveils Galaxy S7 Edge Olympic Edition

Best Buy now selling just 2,016 Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Olympic Edition smartphones

To commemorate the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Samsung has taken the wraps off a special edition of the Galaxy S7 Edge.

The Galaxy S7 Edge Olympic Games Limited Edition more or less looks the same as the regular variant, except the speaker grill at the top is yellow, and so is the trim around the home button. The power button is red, the volume rocker buttons are green, and the outline around the camera and flash are blue — the four colors represent the Olympic rings, and the fifth color, black, is reserved for the rest of the smartphone.

Speaking of rings, the official Olympic Games logo rests on the back of the S7 Edge special edition — it’s blue, and it also notes Samsung as a “Worldwide Partner” below it.

This smartphone variant is designed for the Rio games and, as such, the Korean giant is offering 12,500 of these Olympic-branded devices to Rio 2016 Olympians. Thankfully, you’ll still be able to buy it — but only if you’re in the U.S. And you’ll have to act quickly — only 2,016 units of the Galaxy S7 Edge Olympic Edition were to be available when the device hits Best Buy store shelves Monday. Each will cost $850.

Samsung-Galaxy-S7-Edge-Olympic-Edition_08
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

In addition to showing off the Olympic colors and logo on the exterior, the special edition S7 Edge will also display the Olympic Rings “in the phone’s user interface in the home and lock screens, as well as the message, dial, and contact screens, and notification bar.” A Samsung spokesperson tells Digital Trends that since it’s all a theme, it can easily be turned off and you can uninstall the Olympic apps if you want.

You’ll also find official Olympic apps pre-installed, as well as Rio 2016-themed wallpapers. Overall, after getting our hands on it we can say the Olympic Edition of the S7 Edge is drop-dead gorgeous.

Samsung has been heavily involved with the Olympics since the ’90s, and its current sponsorship deal lasts until 2020, ensuring its brand has a strong presence and its products are used by the International Olympics Committee. The Olympic Edition of the Galaxy S7 Edge isn’t the first specially branded phone from Samsung, either. The tradition stretches back to 2014, when athletes taking part in the Games received a special Galaxy Note 3.

The Games begin August 5.

Originally published on July 16, 2016. Updated on 07-18-2016 by Kyle Wiggers: Added pricing and availability information. 

Editors' Recommendations

Julian Chokkattu
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…
Samsung’s newest Android tablet is a perfect iPad alternative
A render of the front of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 2024.

Samsung has just launched a refreshed Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) for the U.S. exclusively through Amazon. This comes after Samsung recently launched the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) internationally.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) is the latest entry in Samsung’s midrange tablet lineup that made its debut in 2020. This newest iteration has the same overall design, S Pen integration, screen, and just 4GB RAM. However, it now has a new Exynos processor and comes with Android 14 right out of the box.

Read more
5 phones you should buy instead of the Samsung Galaxy S24
Samsung Galaxy S24 in Marble Gray standing on park bench.

In the market for a new phone? You might be considering the latest offering from Samsung, which includes the Galaxy S24. It’s the entry level model for the S24 lineup, but still packs great performance and power with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and 8GB RAM, a beautiful LTPO AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate and 2,600 nits peak brightness. And even though it’s a base model, you get a triple lens camera system.

But the Galaxy S24 isn’t the only option you have out there. Here are five great alternatives to consider if you’re thinking about the S24.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Read more
Have a Samsung Galaxy S23? Don’t update your phone to One UI 6.1
The pink Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus lying on a pillow.

Samsung started rolling out its One UI 6.1 update last week, bringing its Galaxy AI features to the Galaxy S23 series and other Galaxy phones and tablets. Unfortunately, it looks like the update is doing more harm than good.

Over the last couple of days, there have been seemingly endless reports of One UI 6.1 wreaking havoc for Galaxy S23 owners — including everything from unresponsive touchscreens, fingerprint sensors not working, and more.

Read more