By: iPadfanzz staff on March 15, 2013
Samsung’s new flagship phone is here. It’s smart, sassy, and has loads of technological innovation that you may have never seen on any other smartphone. The GALAXY S 4 has the world’s first Full HD Super AMOLED display that display images at their very best. The Galaxy S4, packs a 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED screen in a thin (plastic) body. It is 69mm wide, 7.9mm thick and weighs just 130 grams.
Design and display
The Galaxy S 4 has a subtly textured polycarbonate body that’s thinner and lighter than the Galaxy S III. The Galaxy S4, packs a 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED screen in a thin (plastic) body. . Samsung’s basic design ID hasn’t changed, but like its predecessor, the plastic feeling of the Galaxy S3 won't appeal to all. It is 69mm wide, 7.9mm thick and weighs just 130 grams. The GS4 is taller but thinner (just 7.9mm) than the GSIII, and is lighter as well.
Overall, the S4 is a well put together S3 – meaning there’s no big change in terms of design. The Galaxy S4 is all screen due to thinner bezels. But it is a phenomenal screen. The Galaxy S 4 display is 5 inches of unadulterated Super AMOLED 1080p brilliance. The phone is available in White Frost and Black Mist colors. The home button is roughly the same size and the same menu and back buttons remain from the prequel.
The S4 comes with a pixel density of 441ppi — a significant leap over the Galaxy S III's 306ppi display and the iPhone 5's 326ppi retina display. The S4 screen's strengths do not end with the unrivaled contrast and super punchy colors. It also offers viewing angles so wide that combined with the 441ppi pixel density, which makes the screen look as if printed on paper. The impressively low-reflectivity also adds to that effect and is good for outdoor performance.
Camera
The S4 uses a new 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, which is significantly higher than 8MP used on the Galaxy S III. The camera is complete with LED flash, autofocus, and 1080p video recording. On the front, the Galaxy S 4 sports a 2-megapixel camera.
The S4 is good in taking low-light snaps. The UI of its camera app seems to mimic that found on the Samsung Galaxy Camera, with a special mode wheel to move between items like the Macro, Beauty shot and smile setting. The Galaxy S4 now comes with new camera functions including Dual Shot, Eraser, Drama Shot, and Sound & Shot.
Dual-shot mode
In dual-shot camera feature, the S4 allows you to combine photo and videos from the front-facing camera and rear camera into one frame. You can also use a variety of fun templates. For instance, you can use a postage stamp or a heart for framing your face. There’s also a split-screen view so your face and what you’re shooting get the same amount of real estate. The company says the feature is most suited for sporting events or concerts.
Sound & Shot
The feature allows you to take a snap and capture 9 seconds of audio.
Drama Shot
Drama Shot combines all the actions from a burst shot into a single frame. If someone is jumping, for instance, you can view all stages of the jump in one shot.
Cinema Photo
Cinema Photo lets you animate just one portion of a video and keep the rest static (it creates a GIF).
Eraser
It allows to quickly and cleanly remove people from a shot (like pesky photobombers)
Dual Video Call
It lets users make and receive a video call while showing the recipient what you are looking at during the call.
SmartPause
A new SmartPause feature to the video mode automatically pauses a film or video if the user looks away from the screen.
Connectivity
Apart from near field communication (NFC), Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, Wi-Fi, 3G/LTE (long-term evolution), the Galaxy S4 will also have a built-in IR Blaster. These will vary by country. An IR blaster or infrared blaster is similar to an infrared remote control for a device.
S Translate: Nine Languages
The S Translate voice and text translation tool in S4 is compatible with nine languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Japanese, Portuguese and Chinese. It can translate text to a spoken voice and vice-versa, as well as translating photos of restaurant menus, signs and other text you may need to decipher.
Air gestures
One of the most powerful new feature of S4 is Air Gesture, which basically allows you to preview content by hovering your fingers over certain items. It can be used to magnify webpages, bring up expanded information from emails and calendar events, preview videos, and expand galleries without opening them up. You can also get a pop-up of your appointments for the day by hovering over the calendar, and you can bring up a power control widget by hovering over the top right corner of the notification drawer. It comes integrated with Flipboard and allows you to peek at what's behind tiles in the app.
Samsung says the gestures are designed for "hands-free and hands-full" situations, like when you're carrying groceries.
GroupPlay
On the NFC part, the S4 includes S Beam and TecTile integration, and lets you pair with up to eight other NFC-devices to run a feature called GroupPlay, which lets you play the same song across eight different devices… to create a party on the go.
Software
The Galaxy S4 runs on Android 4.2.2, for now the most current version of Google’s operating system. The S4 will ship with a photo album publishing service, like Apple's greeting card service, which allows you to design a custom photo album directly from your phone that will be shipped to your home. The S4 also comes with S Translate, S Voice Drive, a built-in IR transmitter for controlling your TV and other devices in your entertainment center. The Optical Reader app promises to scan business cards and suck the info right into your contacts. The app also reads QR codes.
Hardware
The Galaxy S4 is powered by Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa processor, which was introduced at CES in January as the 'world's first' 8-core mobile processor. It comes with 2GB of RAM — double that of the iPhone 5 —and 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of on-board storage. The Galaxy S4 comes with a large, 2,600mAh battery, roughly 23-percent larger than the Galaxy S III. It's also three grams lighter and a millimeter thinner.
New apps
Samsung has updated its own-branded VoIP application, ChatOn, to include three-way video calls, screen share, and annotations. You can even use the new dual-camera mode to enjoy ChatOn calls. The company has also preloaded the S Health app on the device. The app links up with existing health gadgets like fancy scales and blood glucose monitors. Using S 4′s built-in pedometer, S Health tracks your activity throughout the day and knows when you’re running, walking or climbing stairs. The S Health app also lets you input your consumption activities to track caloric intake and get suggestions.
Pricing and availability
Samsung didn’t mention about the pricing. The Galaxy S III was launched in the US at $199 with a 2 year contact.
Specs
The Galaxy S4 supports broadband via HSPA+42 Mbps and 4G LTE. According to Samsung, the LTE version supports up to six different band sets that should let it function in most LTE coverage areas - and enable global LTE roaming.
Network
2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE): 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
3G (HSPA+ 42Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
4G (LTE Cat 3 100/50Mbps) : up to 6 different band sets (Dependent on market)
Display
5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080) display, 441 ppi
Processor
1.9 GHz Quad-Core Processor / 1.6 GHz Octa-Core Processor (varies by market)
OS
Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
Camera
Main(Rear): 13-megapixel Auto Focus camera with Flash & Zero Shutter Lag
Sub (Front): 2-megapixel camera, Full HD recording @30fps with Zero Shutter Lag
Video Codecs: MPEG4, H.264, H.263, DivX, DivX3.11, VC-1, VP8, WMV7/8, Sorenson Spark, HEVC
Recording & Playback: Full HD (1080p)
Audio Formats
MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, WMA, OGG, FLAC, AC-3, apt-X
Connectivity
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (HT80)
GPS / GLONASS
NFC, Bluetooth® 4.0 (LE)
IR LED (Remote Control), MHL 2.0
Sensors
Accelerometer, RGB light, Geomagnetic, Proximity, Gyro, Barometer
Temperature & Humidity, Gesture
Memory
16GB / 32GB / 64GB User memory + microSD slot (up to 64GB)
2GB RAM
Dimensions
136.6mm (5.4 inches) x 69.8mm (2.7 inches) x 7.9mm (0.31 inches), 130g (4.6 ounces)
Battery
2,600 mAh.
Samsung’s new flagship phone is here. It’s smart, sassy, and has loads of technological innovation that you may have never seen on any other smartphone. The GALAXY S 4 has the world’s first Full HD Super AMOLED display that display images at their very best. The Galaxy S4, packs a 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED screen in a thin (plastic) body. It is 69mm wide, 7.9mm thick and weighs just 130 grams.
Design and display
The Galaxy S 4 has a subtly textured polycarbonate body that’s thinner and lighter than the Galaxy S III. The Galaxy S4, packs a 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED screen in a thin (plastic) body. . Samsung’s basic design ID hasn’t changed, but like its predecessor, the plastic feeling of the Galaxy S3 won't appeal to all. It is 69mm wide, 7.9mm thick and weighs just 130 grams. The GS4 is taller but thinner (just 7.9mm) than the GSIII, and is lighter as well.
Overall, the S4 is a well put together S3 – meaning there’s no big change in terms of design. The Galaxy S4 is all screen due to thinner bezels. But it is a phenomenal screen. The Galaxy S 4 display is 5 inches of unadulterated Super AMOLED 1080p brilliance. The phone is available in White Frost and Black Mist colors. The home button is roughly the same size and the same menu and back buttons remain from the prequel.
The S4 comes with a pixel density of 441ppi — a significant leap over the Galaxy S III's 306ppi display and the iPhone 5's 326ppi retina display. The S4 screen's strengths do not end with the unrivaled contrast and super punchy colors. It also offers viewing angles so wide that combined with the 441ppi pixel density, which makes the screen look as if printed on paper. The impressively low-reflectivity also adds to that effect and is good for outdoor performance.
Camera
The S4 uses a new 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, which is significantly higher than 8MP used on the Galaxy S III. The camera is complete with LED flash, autofocus, and 1080p video recording. On the front, the Galaxy S 4 sports a 2-megapixel camera.
The S4 is good in taking low-light snaps. The UI of its camera app seems to mimic that found on the Samsung Galaxy Camera, with a special mode wheel to move between items like the Macro, Beauty shot and smile setting. The Galaxy S4 now comes with new camera functions including Dual Shot, Eraser, Drama Shot, and Sound & Shot.
Dual-shot mode
In dual-shot camera feature, the S4 allows you to combine photo and videos from the front-facing camera and rear camera into one frame. You can also use a variety of fun templates. For instance, you can use a postage stamp or a heart for framing your face. There’s also a split-screen view so your face and what you’re shooting get the same amount of real estate. The company says the feature is most suited for sporting events or concerts.
Sound & Shot
The feature allows you to take a snap and capture 9 seconds of audio.
Drama Shot
Drama Shot combines all the actions from a burst shot into a single frame. If someone is jumping, for instance, you can view all stages of the jump in one shot.
Cinema Photo
Cinema Photo lets you animate just one portion of a video and keep the rest static (it creates a GIF).
Eraser
It allows to quickly and cleanly remove people from a shot (like pesky photobombers)
Dual Video Call
It lets users make and receive a video call while showing the recipient what you are looking at during the call.
SmartPause
A new SmartPause feature to the video mode automatically pauses a film or video if the user looks away from the screen.
Connectivity
Apart from near field communication (NFC), Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, Wi-Fi, 3G/LTE (long-term evolution), the Galaxy S4 will also have a built-in IR Blaster. These will vary by country. An IR blaster or infrared blaster is similar to an infrared remote control for a device.
S Translate: Nine Languages
The S Translate voice and text translation tool in S4 is compatible with nine languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Japanese, Portuguese and Chinese. It can translate text to a spoken voice and vice-versa, as well as translating photos of restaurant menus, signs and other text you may need to decipher.
Air gestures
One of the most powerful new feature of S4 is Air Gesture, which basically allows you to preview content by hovering your fingers over certain items. It can be used to magnify webpages, bring up expanded information from emails and calendar events, preview videos, and expand galleries without opening them up. You can also get a pop-up of your appointments for the day by hovering over the calendar, and you can bring up a power control widget by hovering over the top right corner of the notification drawer. It comes integrated with Flipboard and allows you to peek at what's behind tiles in the app.
Samsung says the gestures are designed for "hands-free and hands-full" situations, like when you're carrying groceries.
GroupPlay
On the NFC part, the S4 includes S Beam and TecTile integration, and lets you pair with up to eight other NFC-devices to run a feature called GroupPlay, which lets you play the same song across eight different devices… to create a party on the go.
Software
The Galaxy S4 runs on Android 4.2.2, for now the most current version of Google’s operating system. The S4 will ship with a photo album publishing service, like Apple's greeting card service, which allows you to design a custom photo album directly from your phone that will be shipped to your home. The S4 also comes with S Translate, S Voice Drive, a built-in IR transmitter for controlling your TV and other devices in your entertainment center. The Optical Reader app promises to scan business cards and suck the info right into your contacts. The app also reads QR codes.
Hardware
The Galaxy S4 is powered by Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa processor, which was introduced at CES in January as the 'world's first' 8-core mobile processor. It comes with 2GB of RAM — double that of the iPhone 5 —and 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of on-board storage. The Galaxy S4 comes with a large, 2,600mAh battery, roughly 23-percent larger than the Galaxy S III. It's also three grams lighter and a millimeter thinner.
New apps
Samsung has updated its own-branded VoIP application, ChatOn, to include three-way video calls, screen share, and annotations. You can even use the new dual-camera mode to enjoy ChatOn calls. The company has also preloaded the S Health app on the device. The app links up with existing health gadgets like fancy scales and blood glucose monitors. Using S 4′s built-in pedometer, S Health tracks your activity throughout the day and knows when you’re running, walking or climbing stairs. The S Health app also lets you input your consumption activities to track caloric intake and get suggestions.
Pricing and availability
Samsung didn’t mention about the pricing. The Galaxy S III was launched in the US at $199 with a 2 year contact.
Specs
The Galaxy S4 supports broadband via HSPA+42 Mbps and 4G LTE. According to Samsung, the LTE version supports up to six different band sets that should let it function in most LTE coverage areas - and enable global LTE roaming.
Network
2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE): 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
3G (HSPA+ 42Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
4G (LTE Cat 3 100/50Mbps) : up to 6 different band sets (Dependent on market)
Display
5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080) display, 441 ppi
Processor
1.9 GHz Quad-Core Processor / 1.6 GHz Octa-Core Processor (varies by market)
OS
Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
Camera
Main(Rear): 13-megapixel Auto Focus camera with Flash & Zero Shutter Lag
Sub (Front): 2-megapixel camera, Full HD recording @30fps with Zero Shutter Lag
Video Codecs: MPEG4, H.264, H.263, DivX, DivX3.11, VC-1, VP8, WMV7/8, Sorenson Spark, HEVC
Recording & Playback: Full HD (1080p)
Audio Formats
MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, WMA, OGG, FLAC, AC-3, apt-X
Connectivity
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (HT80)
GPS / GLONASS
NFC, Bluetooth® 4.0 (LE)
IR LED (Remote Control), MHL 2.0
Sensors
Accelerometer, RGB light, Geomagnetic, Proximity, Gyro, Barometer
Temperature & Humidity, Gesture
Memory
16GB / 32GB / 64GB User memory + microSD slot (up to 64GB)
2GB RAM
Dimensions
136.6mm (5.4 inches) x 69.8mm (2.7 inches) x 7.9mm (0.31 inches), 130g (4.6 ounces)
Battery
2,600 mAh.
