With the news that the two giants in tech industry, Apple and Samsung, will be realigning their tactics for their upcoming flagship releases, the smartphone wars seem to again heat up to a whole new level.

One rumor that keeps on floating online is that the two companies will be trying to outdo each other by claiming an early spot for a 2016 release. Although no specific release dates were mentioned, observers speculate that Apple and Samsung will be gunning for a January announcement – or even release – of their upcoming iPhone 7 and Galaxy S7 flagships.

If the rumor is proven true, then fans only have more than a month to weigh their options. For their rumored specs, how do the two upcoming lineups compare against each other?

In terms of design, both the iPhone 7 and Galaxy S7 are expected to have much more streamlined form factors than their previous iterations.

Meanwhile, most of the comparison will be for the flagships' under-the-hood specs.

According to Morning News USA, the clash between the two flagships will be a battle between homegrown processors. The iPhone 7 is rumored to carry a newer A10 chipset, which has assembled using the latest cutting-edge tech. The same can be said of the rumored Exynos 8890, the first chip for Samsung that is fully assembled using homegrown tech and not relying on third-party parts like the ARM-centered processors of previous iterations. In addition, it is also speculated that Samsung will come out with two processor variants for the S7. Aside from the Exynos chip, there is also talk of an S7 with a Snapdragon 820 as its core.

Proprietary features also play a part in the upcoming battle between the flagships, with Apple's 3D Touch integrated into a QHD display. It is even rumored that the new iPhone will incorporate Sapphire Glass for its screen. Meanwhile, the new iPhone 7 will reportedly come in three versions. There is said to be a basic Mini having a 4-inch display, the base model with a 5.5-inch screen, and a bigger 7 Plus.

Samsung will reportedly launch all variations of its S7 with an Edge display. If this is true, then fans will immediately see an S7 Edge and S7 Edge Plus together with the base model. While there is not much difference in the features among the three, it is said that Samsung is planning to release a version of S7 depending on the market location.