Beyond its good looks, the curves of the S6 Edge provide some additional functionality, none of them are killer features but they do make the phone feel just that little bit more futuristic.
A few examples, however, are how the edge displays the time( see below) even when the phone is asleep – it's very similar to the'glance' feature seen on some Lumia smartphones.
Notifications and messages can be accessed from the edge using the new ‘People Edge’ mode. You can designate up to five contacts from your list to appear as one of five coloured lines on the edge of the home screen. Swiping across the screen from one of those lines brings up call/message history from those people, making it quick and easy to communicate with frequently used contacts. A white line at the top allows you to access your Edge Contacts at any time, saving you from having to find them in your contact list.
One of the smaller, but more intriguing, features is how you can set the edge to function as a notification light when the phone is faced down. It can also combine with the People Edge mode and be set to glow a specific colour when a particular person calls. This means you can work out who is calling when the phone is face down. If nothing else, it looks cool.
Related: Galaxy S6 Edge: What can the curved screen actually do?
The edge can also double as a bedside clock with Night Clock mode. When the phone is in sleep mode, a quick swipe up and down will illuminate the edge. The night clock can only remain active for a maximum of 12 hours, but it will disable automatically if the phone’s battery hits 15% . While we used this frequently to begin with, it hasn't really become part of our evening regime. It's a little bit fiddly and we found we had to position our phone in a precise position on our bedside charger to utilise it and for it to charge. But, it's probably the best use of the Edge display.
Are these additional features worth the extra money?
