Samsung Announces New Flagship Galaxy S 4 Competitor to Apple's iPhone

MacRumors · Mar 14, 2013, 08:02 PM

Samsung tonight announced its flagship iPhone competitor, the Galaxy S 4, at an event at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The new smartphone is set to launch in April on all four major U.S. carriers.

The new phone gets a slight screen size increase to 5" from 4.8", with a 1080p display at 441 pixels per inch (compared to iPhone 5's 326 ppi) that Samsung is calling "Full HD Super AMOLED." The phone also houses 2 GB RAM, a 2600 mAh battery, a micro SD card slot for expanded storage (in addition to the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB variations) and a rear 13-megapixel camera. There is also a front-facing camera that can record 720p video.

Image via The VergeSamsung has also added a host of software features, including a navigation app called S Voice Drive that works similar to how Siri and Apple Maps do. Other new software features include a translation app, much like Google Translate, "Air Gestures", and new camera modes. The "Air Gestures" allow a user to flick through photos or preview photos without actually touching the phone.

New camera modes include Cinema Mode, which creates still images with moving backgrounds, Drama Burst, which creates animated GIFs, and Sound and Shot mode, which marries audio to a still photo.

Gizmodo was one of several outlets that received hands-on time with the Galaxy S 4 before Samsung's event, and noted the prevailing sentiment that the device feels like more of the same as an evolution of the Galaxy S III rather than a major leap forward.

Quote:

There has been a ton of hype and build-up to this device, and ultimately, it left us feeling cold. The S IV feels uninspired. There are small spec bumps from the previous generation and there's a ton of software which will largely sit unused. There's just no wow-factor here.

Samsung did not announce a price for the Galaxy S 4.

Update: Samsung announced at its media event that the Galaxy S 4 will ship with Android 4.2.2, the latest version of the operating system software. Apple's Phil Schiller had slammed Android and Samsung in a Reuters interview earlier this week, in part by suggesting that the Galaxy S 4 would ship with an outdated version of Android.

Quote:

Schiller said the fragmentation, or the number of versions of the Android operating system out in the marketplace, is a problem.

"And that extends to the news we are hearing this week that the Samsung Galaxy S 4 is being rumored to ship with an OS that is nearly a year old," he said. "Customers will have to wait to get an update."

Article Link: Samsung Announces New Flagship Galaxy S 4 Competitor to Apple's iPhone

hayesk · Mar 14, 2013, 08:04 PM

Screen is specs for specs' sale.
Other interesting features are available on iOS already through third party apps and accessories.

Home server looks interesting thought. Apple should have a home cloud server.

uknowimright · Mar 14, 2013, 08:04 PM

wonder how Phil feels about it shipping with Android 4.2.2, lol

alexander25 · Mar 14, 2013, 08:04 PM

the screen is the only thing i like about these phones.

nepalisherpa · Mar 14, 2013, 08:06 PM

Build-quality wise, I am not interested at all. If I were to switch platform right now, I would go with an HTC One.

maxwelltech · Mar 14, 2013, 08:06 PM

I am very exited for this phone to come out. Apple seriously needs to react to this instead of keep bashing them and lose market share.

Oohara · Mar 14, 2013, 08:06 PM

Sexy. The visual design changes are small, but make a significant difference nonetheless. I wouldn't touch the S3, but this one I would buy. If I wasn't already drooling for the Note 3...

nostaws · Mar 14, 2013, 08:07 PM

I want palm's graffiti on my iphone.

dannyyankou · Mar 14, 2013, 08:07 PM

Air gestures seems like a very unnecessary feature.

viperGTS · Mar 14, 2013, 08:07 PM

Apple is going to have to really innovate with the next iPhone to compete with these impressive Android devices.

bpeeps · Mar 14, 2013, 08:08 PM

This post should prove entertaining, here we go!

miamialley · Mar 14, 2013, 08:09 PM

5" for a phone is just ridiculous for me.

damir00 · Mar 14, 2013, 08:10 PM

There's nowhere really left to go with phones.

The revolution is over.

We're at the "supply chain management" stage of the game until they are superseded by an entirely different form factor.

Doc750 · Mar 14, 2013, 08:10 PM

Apple post Steve is Apple pre-Steve-come-back ....

It's all downhill from here on out baby (at least in terms of phones, macs are still awesome).

Foxer · Mar 14, 2013, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by viperGTS

Apple is going to have to really innovate with the next iPhone to compete with these impressive Android devices.

Did you take a class on writing blurbs for book jackets?

Maybe I'm ignorant, but I don't know what great features we're waiting for on phones. But then, I'm an old coot who didn't understand why I needed a camera on my phone.

TheHateMachine · 08:16 PM

Grab your butts folks! Also Gizmodo... lol.

cole01 · 08:12 PM

I was kind of enjoying not having any news about the GS4 on the homepage while it lasted...sigh. I understand this is a top iPhone competitor but front page news....eh.

P.S. I watched some of the live stream and it was just....odd. Not a fan of the presentation or device at all.

SteveJobs2.0 · Mar 14, 2013, 08:11 PM

Need to read the article, but the design is certainly circa 2005.

firestarter · Mar 14, 2013, 08:11 PM

Quote:

There has been a ton of hype and build-up to this device, and ultimately, it left us feeling cold... There are small spec bumps from the previous generation and there's a ton of software which will largely sit unused. There's just no wow-factor here.

Sounds like the iPhone 5 launch

jpmcnown · Mar 14, 2013, 08:12 PM

This should have been called the Samsung Galaxy S3s

Being an avid Samsung fan, this certainly was less than what I expected. I was seriously put off by the complete absence of mentioning a processor, until I realized WHY; because this was an international audience watching. The international version appears to include an 8 core 1.6GHz processor, while here in the US we get a 1.9GHz quadcore. Seriously WTF!?

Mackan · Mar 14, 2013, 08:12 PM

Now waiting for the incremental iPhone 5S in 6 months, still featuring a dual core CPU when the rest of the world has movied on to quad core.

ironman159 · Mar 14, 2013, 08:12 PM

Samsung is doomed. Oh wait...

radiohead14 · Mar 14, 2013, 08:12 PM

bigger screen and battery in a lighter and smaller footprint than the S3.. pretty cool.

Navdakilla · Mar 14, 2013, 08:13 PM

Seems like a pretty cool device.. Although battery life with all those features will be horrible.

My s3 that I have (before getting the 5) was brutal with battery when I had all the stuff turned on. S-beam nfc etc. 5 hours is all I got

racer1441 · Mar 14, 2013, 08:13 PM

Galaxy 3s looks like.

Mar 14, 2013, 08:04 PM	#3
uknowimright macrumors 6502a Join Date: Dec 2011	wonder how Phil feels about it shipping with Android 4.2.2, lol
	73

Mar 14, 2013, 08:04 PM	#4
alexander25 Banned Join Date: Jul 2012	the screen is the only thing i like about these phones.
	23

Mar 14, 2013, 08:06 PM	#5
nepalisherpa macrumors 65816 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: USA	Build-quality wise, I am not interested at all. If I were to switch platform right now, I would go with an HTC One. __________________ Mid-2010 13" MBP/128GB Crucial M4 SSD/250GB Stock HDD/8GB RAM/Dual Boot: OS X 10.8.2 & Windows 7 Professional iPhone 5 32GB Black iPad 2 32GB WiFi Black
	62

Mar 14, 2013, 08:06 PM	#6
maxwelltech macrumors regular Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: California	I am very exited for this phone to come out. Apple seriously needs to react to this instead of keep bashing them and lose market share. __________________ MacBook Pro 13 i7 (Mid 2012) w/ 128GB SSD; ThinkPad X301; iPad 4 WiFi 32GB, HTC One 32GB AT&T
	54

Mar 14, 2013, 08:06 PM	#7
Oohara macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jun 2012	Sexy. The visual design changes are small, but make a significant difference nonetheless. I wouldn't touch the S3, but this one I would buy. If I wasn't already drooling for the Note 3...
	19

Mar 14, 2013, 08:04 PM	#2
hayesk macrumors 65816 Join Date: May 2003	Screen is specs for specs' sale. Other interesting features are available on iOS already through third party apps and accessories. Home server looks interesting thought. Apple should have a home cloud server.
	15

Mar 14, 2013, 08:07 PM	#8
nostaws macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2006	I want palm's graffiti on my iphone.
	7

Mar 14, 2013, 08:07 PM	#9
dannyyankou macrumors newbie Join Date: Mar 2012	Air gestures seems like a very unnecessary feature.
	89

Mar 14, 2013, 08:07 PM	#10
viperGTS macrumors 6502 Join Date: Nov 2010	Apple is going to have to really innovate with the next iPhone to compete with these impressive Android devices.
	74

Mar 14, 2013, 08:08 PM	#11
bpeeps macrumors 6502a Join Date: May 2011	This post should prove entertaining, here we go!
	19

Mar 14, 2013, 08:09 PM	#12
miamialley macrumors 68000 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Orlando	5" for a phone is just ridiculous for me. __________________ If you disagree with my post, you have to write a post in response. (because that's obviously better than seeing the number of vote downs on a post) Thanks MR!
	108

Mar 14, 2013, 08:10 PM	#13
damir00 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2011	There's nowhere really left to go with phones. The revolution is over. We're at the "supply chain management" stage of the game until they are superseded by an entirely different form factor.
	140

Mar 14, 2013, 08:10 PM	#14
Doc750 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Aug 2010	Apple post Steve is Apple pre-Steve-come-back .... It's all downhill from here on out baby (at least in terms of phones, macs are still awesome). __________________ Current apple products:MPB 17, ACD 27, MBA 13, iPad2 Replaced iPhone 4S with Note 2 Replaced ATV2 with Roku 2 XS
	25

Mar 14, 2013, 08:10 PM	#16
TheHateMachine macrumors 6502 Join Date: Sep 2012	Grab your butts folks! Also Gizmodo... lol. __________________ Computer - Intel/Nvidia with Win8 Pro \| HP Elite 8300 USDT with CentOS 5.2 Mobile - Galaxy Note 2 16GB \| Galaxy S3 16GB Gadget - Surface RT 32GB \| Nexus 10 16GB \| iPad 4 16GB \| iPod Touch 3G 16GB Last edited by TheHateMachine; Mar 14, 2013 at 08:16 PM.
	1

Mar 14, 2013, 08:11 PM	#17
cole01 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Dec 2008	I was kind of enjoying not having any news about the GS4 on the homepage while it lasted...sigh. I understand this is a top iPhone competitor but front page news....eh. P.S. I watched some of the live stream and it was just....odd. Not a fan of the presentation or device at all. __________________ Late 2012 27" iMac 3.4 i7, 1TB Fusion, 680MX ; 15" Unibody Macbook Pro 2.66, 8GB RAM ; iPhone 5 Black 64GB ; iPad 3 White 32GB Cellular ; iPad mini Black 32GB Wifi Last edited by cole01; Mar 14, 2013 at 08:12 PM. Reason: P.S.!
	43

Mar 14, 2013, 08:11 PM	#18
SteveJobs2.0 macrumors regular Join Date: Mar 2012	Need to read the article, but the design is certainly circa 2005.
	18

Mar 14, 2013, 08:12 PM	#20
jpmcnown macrumors newbie Join Date: Aug 2011	This should have been called the Samsung Galaxy S3s Being an avid Samsung fan, this certainly was less than what I expected. I was seriously put off by the complete absence of mentioning a processor, until I realized WHY; because this was an international audience watching. The international version appears to include an 8 core 1.6GHz processor, while here in the US we get a 1.9GHz quadcore. Seriously WTF!?
	19

Mar 14, 2013, 08:12 PM	#21
Mackan macrumors 65816 Join Date: Sep 2007	Now waiting for the incremental iPhone 5S in 6 months, still featuring a dual core CPU when the rest of the world has movied on to quad core.
	57

Mar 14, 2013, 08:12 PM	#22
ironman159 macrumors regular Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Costa Rica	Samsung is doomed. Oh wait... __________________ "Why should your ears have all the fun? Ray Charles 1930-2004"
	21

Mar 14, 2013, 08:12 PM	#23
radiohead14 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: nyc	bigger screen and battery in a lighter and smaller footprint than the S3.. pretty cool. __________________ 11" MacBook Air 1.6GHz Core i5 4GB 128SSD
	28

Mar 14, 2013, 08:13 PM	#24
Navdakilla macrumors 6502a Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Canada	Seems like a pretty cool device.. Although battery life with all those features will be horrible. My s3 that I have (before getting the 5) was brutal with battery when I had all the stuff turned on. S-beam nfc etc. 5 hours is all I got __________________ New convert, and never turning back!!!
	15

Mar 14, 2013, 08:13 PM	#25
racer1441 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jul 2009	Galaxy 3s looks like.
	10

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