Can you tell the signs of the times? For example, when the sky is dark and looks extremely threatening, what do you think of it? Surely it is going to pour, no? Well, in the tech world, you more or less get the equivalent whenever you see a device arrive at the FCC, which means it is about to be released to the general market, although this is not exactly 100% true most of the time. The Samsung Galaxy S4 that was just revealed yesterday evening has already had a pow wow with the folks over at the FCC for government approval.
What the FCC received to check out was a model that had a 850/1900 GSM radio, support for 3G connectivity via 850/1900 WCDMA frequencies, in addition to playing nice with LTE Band 5. Considering how AT&T’s main LTE spectrum is Band 17, chances are the folks over at the FCC received the international version of Samsung’s Galaxy S4, and for those who want to pick up a Galaxy S4 from a US-based carrier are said to have to wait until the end of April at the earliest. In the mean time, you might want to check out our hands-on review of the Galaxy S4.
Rumor had it that Samsung had integrated SwiftKey into its newly launched Galaxy S IV flagship handset, but nothing was confirmed. Now word has come from SwiftKey’s co-founder in an emailed statement to Forbes stating that Samsung has, indeed, utilized the predictive keyboard, adding onto the myriad of other features offered by the smartphone.
This is good news for both future Galaxy S IV owners and SwiftKey alike, which, according to Forbes, is able to boast about a major partnership with a manufacturer for the first time. In other instances where it has licensed its technology, the company has been forced to keep quiet about the deals due to terms of confidentiality.
SwiftKey’s co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Ben Medlock had this to say: “We are excited to confirm that Samsung has chosen SwiftKey’s innovative keyboard technology to be at the heart of its flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4. This is fantastic progress for our vision of bringing the best touchscreen typing experience to as many people as possible.”
For those who don’t know, the company behind SwiftKey was founded in late 2008 by two Cambridge graduates, who went on to launch their popular predictive keyboard in 2010. The app works by learning the words commonly used by the handset’s owner as he or she types. This allows SwiftKey to offer predictive functionality.
Samsung’s Galaxy S4 finally made its debut Thursday night, and not a single thing about the phone was surprising. Every feature and every spec shown off was leaked in a rumor leading up to the S4’s unveiling. But that doesn’t …
The Samsung Galaxy S4 launch event is over and the company’s latest flagship Android smartphone has been unveiled to the world. In what would surely be known as a unique event, Samsung showcased the various features of the Galaxy S4. The company says that Galaxy S4 will begin shipping in April. Shortly after the event T-Mobile and Sprint confirmed that they will be offering the US version of Samsung Galaxy S4 to their customers.
In a statement, senior vice president Product Development at Sprint, Fared Adib revealed citing NPD Group data that Sprint was the top seller of Galaxy S3 in the US and that they are excited to bring their Truly Unlimited 4G LTE offering to the Galaxy S4. Additional details about Galaxy S4 on Sprint, including but not limited to pricing, will be made public over the next couple of weeks. T-Mobile too has confirmed that it will be carrying the U.S. version of Galaxy S4. Their S4 pre-registration page has gone live, and they too say that additional details will be made public in the near future. T-Mobile also has a 4G LTE data offering that its customers will be able to take full advantage of on the new Galaxy S4.
That’s not all though. AT&T and Verizon have also confirmed that they will be offering the Galaxy S4 as well. While the global roll out of the device begins in April, U.S. carriers are expected to initiate roll out in Q2, meaning either May or June 2013.
The Samsung GALAXY S 4 is official, and now that we got our hands on the new device, it’s time to see how it compares to Samsung’s previous Galaxy S handset, the Galaxy S III. Obviously the GALAXY S 4 is an improvement over its predecessor in almost every way, but what exactly has changed here? Let’s take a look.
As for looks, both devices are almost look identical, save for a few changes to the edges. They both have the rounded top and bottom, and the earpiece and home button look very similar. However, the biggest difference cosmetically is the larger 5-inch display on the S 4, while the Galaxy S III is left with a smaller, lower resolution 4.8-inch screen.
However, it’s really the internals that you’ll want to focus on when comparing these two handsets. The GALAXY S 4 runs a quad-core Snapdragon CPU clocked at 1.9GHz (a 1.6GHz Exynos in some regions), while the Galaxy S III touts a Snapdragon S4 dual-core chip clocked at just 1.5GHz. There’s also 2GB of RAM in the S 4, which is the same in the S III. However, the camera is where there’s a big difference: a 13MP sensor in the S 4, while the S III only rocks an 8MP shooter.
Then again, the display is where the GALAXY S 4 really shines when compared to the S III. a 5-inch 1080p display is pretty much unbeatable right now. As for the question of whether or not you should upgrade from the Galaxy S III to the S 4, it certainly doesn’t hurt to do such a thing. There’s definitely faster internals, more features, and that larger screen and camera. However, if you’re still rocking a contract with the S III, don’t worry about having to wait it out. The S 4 will still be here waiting for you when you’re eligible for an upgrade.
There’s also a few new software features in the S 4 as well, including Smart Scroll and Smart Pause, both of which may come in a future Android update for the Galaxy S III, but that’s simply just rumored at this point. Of course, we’ll be taking the GALAXY S 4 and put it through its paces in a full review, but for now, this new device is quite the beast. We’ve already compared it to other new handsets on the market right now, including the iPhone 5 and the HTC One, which was just recently announced last week.
With the Samsung GALAXY S 4 the company has focused on four key areas that they’ve found are most important for everyday life fulfillment, the first being Enjoyment. Creating and nurturing relationships is the second, Everyday Convenience is the third, and the fourth and final pillar is Health and Wellness. With this release, Samsung isn’t just creating a smartphone that you’ll integrate into your life, they’re creating a conduit through which you’ll be living your life in a more pleasant, healthy, and convenient way.
In the release of the Samsung GALAXY S 4 you’ll have noticed the look and feel of the device to be largely similar to what we’ve experienced before with the Samsung Galaxy S III and the Note series after the Note II. This is done to keep you in the Samsung natural-feeling aesthetic, one that’s proven itself to be monumentally successful over the past year in many products.
This device works with a 5-inch display and has had its bezel minimized – it’s smaller than it’s been on any Samsung device before. This minimized battery creates a feeling that you’re using one massive display rather than a display embedded in a smartphone. Covering the display you’ll find the most advanced reinforced protection with Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3.
This viewing experience is enhanced to the max with Full HD Super AMOLED display technology. You’ll be working with 1080 x 1920 pixel resolution, that’s 441 PPI across the 5-inch display and by far the sharpest smart device display offered by Samsung thus far. This is also one of the sharpest displays on a smartphone in the industry today, right up next to the HTC One (468 PPI) and the DROID DNA (440 PPI).
As for photography and videography equipment, you’ll be starting with a 13 megapixel rear-facing camera and a 2 megapixel front-facing camera. These cameras work with a set of new software outlined in the timeline below, specifically in the “Enjoyment” section – a must-see!
Inside you’ll find that the battery is more powerful than before (2600 mAh, mind you) while the overall device is thinner than the Galaxy S III. The GALAXY S4 weighs in at 130g and is slim as ever with just 7.9mm to its name.
The GALAXY S4 is lighter than its predecessor and it’s more powerful “in all ways” as Samsung notes. This device works with a Qualcomm quad-core processor clocked at 1.6GHz as well as a Samsung Exynos 1.6Ghz “Octa” processor depending on where you get the device – you’ll know final location and hardware when release information is final in your area of the planet.
You’ll also be backed up by 2GB RAM per the standard fare in essentially every top-tier smartphone on the market today. The GALAXY S4 will be released in three different internal storage capacities, 16, 32, and 64GB, each of these coming with a microSD card slot for 64GB memory expansion. Depending on the carrier you’re working with, one, two, or all three versions will be available to you starting in early April, 2013.
As the GALAXY S4 supports HSPA+42 Mbps as well as 4G LTE, you’ll find this device released on many – if not all – of your favorite carriers around the world. Inside the USA we’ll see the device released on each of the top four mobile carriers as well as Cricket, the cutest of the USA carriers.
Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean will be coming with the device right out of the box with the company’s newest version of TouchWiz integrated for a fully Samsung-friendly experience. For more information on the software side of this device, you’ll want to check out the four pillars of excellence mentioned in the first paragraph of this post. Each of these four pillars can be found in the timeline below – check it out!
We’re here live at Samsung’s GALAXY S 4 unveil event in New York City, and the company has unveiled a new feature called HomeSync, which is essentially a home-based cloud storage solution for you and your family. Up to eight family members (or just general users) can push content to a storage box at home, and phones pair with it using NFC. Samsung also unveiled Knox, which is a new feature that keeps your personal life and work life separate on the GALAXY S 4.
HomeSync is basically a home server, and it has 1TB of storage, which is plenty to store all store all sorts of media that you can access on the go. Although, rather than being an actual cloud storage service, the storage is in your home rather than somewhere in a server farm.
The system allows content thats played on a TV to be viewed by the GALAXY S 4 in full 1080p if the video file is rocking it. The big kicker here, though, is the NFC capability. All you have to do is tap the device on the home box and content appears on the S 4. It’s a pretty nifty system, and quite a unique one at that.
As for Knox, it’s essentially a service that allows for enterprise-level security on the phone, as well as the ability to store all of your personal content, which is very similar to BlackBerry Balance. Knox keeps all of your business files and personal files separate, that way you don’t mix the two accidentally.
This week the Samsung GALAXY S 4 has been revealed complete with a hardware design that’ll have the Apple-loving world baffled: it looks, at first, to be the same device as last year. With the Samsung Galaxy S III we had a device that introduced the nature-themed aesthetics of the Samsung universe still being used today on smartphones, tablets, and everything in-between. Now with the GALAXY S 4, we’re seeing that the company isn’t messing around with its winning design.
As far as specifications go for the hardware on the GALAXY S 4 as it compares the the iPhone 5, there really couldn’t be two more different devices. With the GALAXY S 4 you’ve got Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean (the newest Android on the block) and the company’s own TouchWiz user interface working alongside and within. The iPhone, on the other hand, has iOS – the only version of the software that exists for the newest wave of Apple mobile devices.
Samsung GALAXY S 4 Display: 5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED 1920 x 1080 pixel display at 441 PPI Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.9 GHz Quad-Core Processor / Samsung Exynos 1.6 GHz Octa-Core Processor – depending on market Cameras: 2 megapixel front-facing, 13 megapixel back-facing Dimensions: 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm, 130g Storage: 16 / 32 / 64 GB internal storage, 64GB expansion microSD slot Battery: 2600 mAh
iPhone 5 Display: 4-inch Retina 640 x 1136 pixel display at 306 PPI Processor: A6 Cameras: 1.2 megapixel front-facing, 8 megapixel back-facing Dimensions: 123.8mm x 58.6mm x 7.6mm, 112g Storage: 16 / 32 / 64 GB internal storage Battery: 1440 mAh
When you have a peek at our iPhone 5 full review, you’ll find that it’s an entirely different user experience than the Samsung GALAXY S 4 is shaping up to be. With the GALAXY S 4 you’ll be working with Samsung’s newest-in-new user experience as outlined in their four user experience pillars of greatness – you’ll see these in the timeline below as well. Android runs here as well with all the connections that operating system implies while Apple’s OS is in an entirely different arena.
Both devices are, on the other hand, connected to the major apps across the board – Facebook, Twitter, all your social networking goodness, and more apps to send messages back and forth between any device than you’ll be able to ever experience. What this decision will come down to, for you, is whether you’re going to pick up a device with a massive display and Samsung’s brand on its back, or if you’re going to go with the other most popular smartphone in the world, Apple’s iPhone.
Have a peek at the timeline below for more information on the brand new Samsung GALAXY S 4 and remember to check the full iPhone 5 review out for just about as close-up a look as you’re going to get without purchasing the device for yourself – and let us know what you choose!
Now that the Samsung GALAXY S 4 has been revealed officially and the HTC One is out in reviewers’ hands, it’s time to do the first big battle royal between the two. With the GALAXY S 4 you’ve got Samsung’s continuation of a legacy with a device that looks rather similar to the Samsung Galaxy S III, not to mention the Galaxy Note devices that’ve been revealed in the time since the smartphone’s last iteration’s reveal. With the HTC One we’ve got what appears to be more of an utter re-vamp of the company’s wares from top to bottom – which approach suits you best?
Both devices work with Android Jelly Bean, though the HTC One’s update to 4.2 is coming soon (perhaps by launch time) while the GALAXY S 4 has its 4.2 version of the software ready on the device right here this week as it’s revealed. The HTC device has a user interface that’s extremely different from what they’ve offered before with a whole new app drawer for Android and a feature called BlinkFeed – learn more about HTC’s approach in our full HTC One review.
The Samsung GALAXY S 4, on the other hand, adds a collection of apps and features to its user interface with TouchWiz, leaving the UI in a more grand way pretty much the same as it’s been on the newest updates to both the Galaxy S III and the Galaxy Note II. Have a peek at some specification comparisons here to see how the hardware differs, too:
Samsung GALAXY S 4 Display: 5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED 1920 x 1080 pixel display at 441 PPI Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.9 GHz Quad-Core Processor / Samsung Exynos 1.6 GHz Octa-Core Processor – depending on market Cameras: 2 megapixel front-facing, 13 megapixel back-facing Dimensions: 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm, 130g Storage: 16 / 32 / 64 GB internal storage, 64GB expansion microSD slot Battery: 2600 mAh
HTC One Display: 4.7-inch Full HD Super LCD3 1920 x 1080 pixel display at 469 PPI Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 1.7 GHz Quad-Core Processor Cameras: 2.1 megapixel front-facing, 4 megapixel back-facing (Ultrapixels in both cases) Dimensions: 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3mm, 143g Storage: 32 / 64 GB internal storage Battery: 2300 mAh
The Samsung GALAXY S 4 has been pushed with a set of four pillars of user experience excellence while the HTC One was given a similar push with more feature upgrades than you can shake a stick at. In the timeline below you’ll be given a tour of our hands-on experiences with the HTC One and its features as well as a tour of the GALAXY S 4′s four pillars. You’ll find both approaches to be rather interesting if not utterly confusing until you actually have the hardware in your hands.
And here’s one of the biggest key differentiators between the two of these devices: the Samsung GALAXY S 4 has a removable, replaceable battery as well as a microSD expansion slot. The HTC One has neither.
If one thing is true about both of these devices, its that their makers aren’t holding back when it comes to putting features in full-force. Now we’ve got to see if the public will accept a whirlwind of software and hardware upgrades at once, or if they’ll opt to stick with the simpler approaches on the market that are already available.
As the fourth and perhaps most innovative pillar of the collection here with the Samsung GALAXY S 4, the “Health and Wellness” category introduces a brand new app: S-Health. The app ecosystem known as S Health has been introduced with the Samsung GALAXY S 4 with the ability to keep track, monitor, and provide information on your health activity. This app works with the sensors on the smartphone to show you pedometer information – how fast you’ve walked, where you’ve walked, and how long you’ve walked.
S-Health also shows you information on your environment – humidity and temperature – tracking these elements over time. You can also track your dietary habits – though in that case you’ll have to tell the device what you’re actually eating and drinking. That information can be tracked over time and, “based on a database,” you’ll have caloric consumption information.
You’ll have Adapt Sound and Adapt Display prepared for understand the type of content you’re consuming and will adapt speakers and display based on that content. Reading text will have the device “maximize the viewing experience”, making the display most comfortable for your eyes.
A set of accessories is also being introduced by the company with the S-Band, for starters, and a body scale and heart monitor to round out the collection. We’ll have a full hands-on look at these lovely bits and pieces for you sooner than later. Stick to the GALAXY S 4 tag portal for more!
Meanwhile you’ll want to head to the timeline below to see the full set of hands-on and news blast articles posted during the big Samsung GALAXY S 4 reveal event without a doubt. There you’ll see the device itself, full specifications included, as well as the rest of the full four pillars Samsung has presented for the device as an ideal new-world user experience for you!
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Can you tell the signs of the times? For example, when the sky is dark and looks extremely threatening, what do you think of it? Surely it is going to pour, no? Well, in the tech world, you more or less get the equivalent whenever you see a device arrive at the FCC, which means it is about to be released to the general market, although this is not exactly 100% true most of the time. The Samsung Galaxy S4 that was just revealed yesterday evening has already had a pow wow with the folks over at the FCC for government approval.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 launch event is over and the company’s latest flagship Android smartphone has been unveiled to the world. In what would surely be known as a unique event, Samsung showcased the various features of the Galaxy S4. The company says that Galaxy S4 will begin shipping in April. Shortly after the event T-Mobile and Sprint confirmed that they will be offering the US version of Samsung Galaxy S4 to their customers.
