The Next Galaxy from Samsung is almost here and it’s already shaping up to be the year’s most highly anticipated smartphone launch. In this comprehensive run down we’ll be detailing all the nitty-gritty to prepare you for the fourth flagship kit’s imminent debut. So grab some popcorn, sit back and read on…
Samsung Galaxy S4 release date UK
Samsung has sent out press invites to one of its Unpacked events in New York on March 14th where it’s certain to officially raise the curtain on the Galaxy S4.
The actual release date is still a tightly guarded secret. However, a reliable source close to a major UK retailer has revealed that it should go on sale sometime between April 15th and April 22nd.
Pre-orders for the handset should begin at least two weeks before it hits shop shelves. So you should be able to reserve your unit as early as late March or early April.
Samsung Galaxy S4 specs and features
If months and months of insider leaks and industry forecasts are to be trusted, the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be crammed with some of the most cutting-edge technology ever to grace a smartphone.
Here, we’ll discuss some of the best features and specs expected to be on board.
Samsung Galaxy S4 camera
The Samsung Galaxy S4 is tipped to feature a 13-megapixel camera that you can expect to take stunning photos and record videos in full high-definition at a silky smooth framerate that would give even digital SLRs a run for their money.
Also expected on board is a two-megapixel front-facing camera for video calls and self-portraits in HD, and numerous features on the camera application itself, including the ability to take 360-degree panoramic shots of your surroundings and share them instantly on Facebook.
Samsung Galaxy S4 processor
The Samsung Galaxy S4 is mooted to debut the tech giant’s latest, most powerful system-on-chip yet, the Exynos 5 Octa.
This is a state-of-the-art eight-core processor that comprises four high performance cores and four power-saving cores to handle multitasking with real sense of snap, while conserving battery life when carrying out everyday tasks.
Based on ARM’s ‘big.LITTLE’ architecture, the Exynos 5 Octa ensures a perfect balance of power versus power efficiency and consumes up to 70 per cent less energy compared to the current chip designs.
Samsung Galaxy S4 screen
The Samsung Galaxy S4 is rumoured to feature a 4.99-inch Super AMOLED display with an eye-popping full HD (1080p) resolution and 441 pixels per inch density that’s over a 100 pixels higher than even the iPhone’s Retina display.
Naturally, as the world’s leading panel-maker, Samsung is sure to squeeze all its expertise and high-tech display technology into making this truly stand out from rivals.
Samsung Galaxy S4 design
Although details remain thin on the ground, supply-chain chatter suggests the Samsung Galaxy S4 could debut an aluminium unibody design to make it sturdier than its predecessors, while building on the much-loved ‘nature-inspired’ form factor of the Galaxy S3.
Samsung Galaxy S4 connectivity
As with most high-end smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be loaded with a host of connectivity options. At the very least it’s expected to offer 4G LTE support, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, Near Field Communication (NFC), Assisted GPS and a microUSB port.
Reports also suggest the Galaxy S4 could boast the latest, fifth-generation (5G) chips for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, offering even faster and more reliable data transfers than before.
Samsung Galaxy S4 wireless charging
Based on patent filings and an FCC certification, it’s believed that the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be capable of wireless charging, making fiddly charger cables truly a thing of the past.
While wireless charging is not new to smartphones, Samsung’s take reportedly uses a more advanced method enabled by resonant magnetic coupling technology that would allow the Galaxy S4 to be charged from up to two metres away.
Android Jelly Bean and Nature UX user interface
Samsung Galaxy S4 will run on Google’s superb Android operating system – most likely the latest Jelly Bean edition.
Along with features such as Google Now, a personal voice-guided assistant that sorts and displays all kinds of information in a nifty card-based interface, Android Jelly Bean is also home to all of Google’s best apps and services installed out of the box, plus offers hundreds of thousands more to download from Google Play.
Of course, because this is a Samsung smartphone, the Galaxy S4 will feature the latest iteration of the Nature UX user interface, as well as upgraded versions of all the ‘smart’ features that are exclusive to Samsung devices.
Better still, if Samsung’s recent patent filings are anything to go by, this will bring intuitive touch-free gestures and eye-tracking technology to enable you to control the handset with minimum physical contact and possibly even pause videos and scroll pages using your eye movements alone.
Memory and Colours
Based on reliable intel, the Galaxy S4 will be available in three storage variants of 16, 32 and 64GB.
A microSD slot should be included to expand that by a further 32GB, plus free cloud storage from Dropbox to easily access your files on a host of other devices.
Initilally, the Galaxy S4 is likely to land in two colour options: black and white. However, down the line we expect Samsung to release more colourways, along the lines of the nature-inspired pebble blue and marble white hues of the Galaxy S3.
