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

[ranjanrocks]

Does the phone run smoothly? No? Then Samsung failed.

Many early reviews are saying the S4 is laggy. <b>In 2013</b>. So you expect users to sacrifice a smooth experience for what...Air Gesture? An annoying gimmick that is more annoying than useful according to many reviews? I feel like we're back in the days of bundled OEM software slowing down Windows PCs. Apple provides a breath of fresh air in comparison. Who cares if they don't include a bunch of useless new non-features with every iteration?

i do!! and millions of other users do.....air gesture is an annoying gimmick? yea right apple maps were so amazing! along with all their new apps which are called "new features" the whole iOS is stale.....its like using windows XP in 2013...windows XP runs fine....doesn't lag.....if u are happy with it.....good for u....a lot of users like myself want a new design....which looks new and feels fresh....enjoy your iOS......i was stupid enough to buy the iphone 5, thankfully i have found an idiot willing to buy my phone ....byebye iOS

oh and iphone 5S lol, same 4" cr@ppy display! lolllllll its like using a 21" tv in your living room in 2013....

 

[Aidan5806]

ONE additional feature?

Are you reading the same feature list that I am?

Lets be honest. Most of the gestures and smart eye detecting stuff are gimmicky and wont be used by the average user. And while some of the new camera features seen pretty cool, i dont expect them to work very well in the world of sharing, and i think samsung is missing the point of the camera by overcomplicating it.

 

[uknowimright]

Well, I would HOPE the newest flagship would at least ship with the latest OS. The question is whether any of the goodies will make it down to the S3. People criticized Apple for not bringing Siri to the iPhone 4. Well, will Samsung bring Smart Scroll to the Galaxy S3? I don't see why they couldn't? It's mostly driven by the accelerometer.

well

In an interview with PC Mag, Samsung VP of Product Planning Nick DiCarlo said "anything that we can do that's not dependent on hardware like infrared, we'll definitely bring to all the flagship devices."

 

[samcraig]

Ok fine! Air Gestures, and new camera modes. But you get what I mean. Although I'm not trying to bash Samsung as it does seem pretty interesting - if Apple did this it would be a mediocre update. I guess because of the name "Apple" people expect every update to be a major innovation which is not realistic.

I think overall people expect too much.

There are a lot of new features both tied to new/better hardware. Some are gimicky and some might only get used here and there. But overall - it's a SOLID phone. It's got good specs and assuming it performs well with those specs - it will be a good choice. That and the HTC One. And the 5S will no doubt be a great choice as well.

I really don't know what people expect anymore to WOW them. Are some just "spoiled" in their thinking and expect too much.

As with most phones - from one generation to another isn't HUGE. But significant. If you own the GS3 - this probably isn't enough to upgrade right away (especially since many of the new software elements will be offered on the GS3). But if you're on the GS2 or Skyrocket (like I am) - This is a great upgrade.

 

[ImNoSuperMan]

There's nowhere really left to go with phones.

The revolution is over.

Yeah, just like no one ever needed more than 640k ram...

It's nowhere close to "over".

 

[Technarchy]

Worst Keynote Ever
I hated the fact that they didn't even demo the features in real time. Just video's..

And what about that girl with the gloves and all the goddamn dancing??
Embarrassing and plain akward. Didn't believe what I was seeing.

Not gonna say anything about the s4 till reviews come out.

Try to wash that keynote abortion from your brain. I HATE BROADWAY!!

On the upside, there are quite a few hands on vids on youtube right now which give a much better look at the GS4, which all in all, looks kinda nice to my eyes.

I'll reserve full judgement until I actually fingerbang one.

 

[1member1]

The problem with Android is the lag inherent with Java itself. Apple developers use Objective C, and Android developers use Java.

The sticky details in as consise layman terms as I can think of right now:
Java has garbage collection, which Objective C does not have. Garbage Collection makes it easier for developers, but causes lag.

Garbage collection frees up memory, but it can run at times beyond developer control. When garbage collection starts, the application must be paused/frozen for a split second until the memory is freed, and then the program can run again.

Objective C, on the other hand, leaves it to the developers to do this manually. (The latest version of Objective C has the compiler do a lot of the work using ARC - but it's still not garbage collection).

It's sort of like you throw out all sorts of stuff in your garbage can in your room...... Java would be like your mom who randomly comes in to dump your garbage can into the trash, thus emptying it. It might be almost empty, it might be overflowing when she comes in, but when she comes in, you have to cease all your activities, like talking with friends, until she leaves. Objective C is YOU taking the garbage can out when you are free and doing nothing. Like, you just got off the phone and now are free for 2 minutes to do this activity.

Until this issue is solved in Java, Android will lag. I know there are some future developments to java in allowing garbage collection to run without pausing/freezing the app, but that is tricky as well.

Thank you for the explanation.

 

[bag of kittens]

Apple is hanging on to the smartphone market by a thread, a name, and an IOS. Sorry, but the hardware on this is WAY better than the iPhone 5. Apple is "stuck on thin" and its beyond annoying. They are destroying their mac lines slowly and I suspect the next iPhone will look very similar to the last iPhone. Seriously, who will buy an iPhone 5s that looks like an iPhone 5? If not for IOS, I would be on the galaxy.

In the US, they are GAINING marketshare. They are losing globally due to the cheaper price of Android, which they seem to be addressing with carriers and a lower cost iPhone coming.

 

[AaronEdwards]

Is that why you buy a phone because it is "cool"? You must be pretty insecure if you buy based on what other people think. Personally, I bought my iPhone 4S because it meets my needs and is extremely enjoyable to use. Plus Apple customer service, in my experience, is top notch.

Why do you need to be in contact with Apple's customer service? Doesn't it just work?

 

[inlinevolvo]

i found the iphone 4 to iphone 5 upgrade a complete waste! decided to dump this ****** phone for a HTC one.......

HTC is probably the worst company in terms of customer service. Enjoy your device.

 

[samcraig]

Well, I would HOPE the newest flagship would at least ship with the latest OS. The question is whether any of the goodies will make it down to the S3. People criticized Apple for not bringing Siri to the iPhone 4. Well, will Samsung bring Smart Scroll to the Galaxy S3? I don't see why they couldn't? It's mostly driven by the accelerometer.

They will - and other features they mentioned that aren't hardware tied (so they said)

But as for OS - who really cares (in the general public) which version of OS it runs as long as what they buy does what the manufacturer says it does and that's what they want.

I don't buy my phone for what it might do in the future. I buy what it is advertised to do today. Any "extras" that come along are just that.

 

[radiohead14]

iPhones were considered "cool" until a year ago.....people laugh at you if u upgrade to an iPhone5 now.....samsung galaxy series is the new "cool" kid on the block now....

the people who laugh at others just because of what phone they use.. well they must live a sad life

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

So Samsung is doing the same thing that fandroids accused Apple of doing. Funny.

 

[inlinevolvo]

i do!! and millions of other users do.....air gesture is an annoying gimmick? yea right apple maps were so amazing! along with all their new apps which are called "new features" the whole iOS is stale.....its like using windows XP in 2013...windows XP runs fine....doesn't lag.....if u are happy with it.....good for u....a lot of users like myself want a new design....which looks new and feels fresh....enjoy your iOS......i was stupid enough to buy the iphone 5, thankfully i have found an idiot willing to buy my phone ....byebye iOS

oh and iphone 5S lol, same 4" cr@ppy display! lolllllll its like using a 21" tv in your living room in 2013....

Cool story bro.

 

[marv08]

iOS's "Photos" app cant even view an animated gif, much less make one.

I love Apple and enjoy their products, but it feels inreasingly like they're falling behind. Apple better do something interesting. Screw the 5S, get on with the 6 already.

Yeah. Big problem... http://webtrends.about.com/od/prof4/tp/Free-Gif-Maker-Apps-Iphone-Android.htm

Since when is making animated GIFs a required feature of a basic photo app? I have not made one since approx. 2001... Falling behind by not supporting an at least 15 year old technology, that was only created as a crutch because online video playback was not yet feasible at Internet speeds around 9600 baud max?

 

[unobtainium]

I really, really like apple and especially ipads but this makes the iphone seem a generation old. Apple just works well but my rows of icons is getting very very old in comparison to this. Still I think this will push apple to step up its game for the iphone 5s/6. Good for both android and apple...

Well..the iPhone 5 is a generation old.

 

[blackhand1001]

A Hi-DPI display nearly 2 years before any competitors. That's spec bumps? By this logic everything is a spec bump.

No, the motorola droid had a 265ppi screen a year before the iphone 4 and there were several phones with 330ppi prior as well.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_displays_by_pixel_density
There are many in this list that not only beat the iphones pixel density but were out a year to two years before the iphone 4.



Model cm (in) Resolution ppcm (PPI)
Touch Pro 8.1 (3.2) 480×800 115 (292)* 2008
X1 7.6 (3.0) 800×480 123 (312) 2008
Sharp 930SH 7.6 (3.0) 480×854 129 (327) 2008
LG LU1400 7.1 (2.8) 480×800 131 (333) 2008

 

[ArchAndroid]

Personally I'm not interested in 5inch screens, crappy casings, and gimmicks (my phone has a picture of VD - I touch yours - NOW you have it!). I'll go for something slim, that can fit in the average sized pocket, made from the best materials, running the best OS.

Dimensions
iPhone 5: 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm
Samsung Galaxy S4: 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm

If you don't have the extra 1cm x 1cm room in your pocket:

- How do you put your hand in your pocket to pick up the iPhone?

- What kind of clothing are you wearing?

 

[samcraig]

Try to wash that keynote abortion from your brain. I HATE BROADWAY!!

On the upside, there are quite a few hands on vids on youtube right now which give a much better look at the GS4, which all in all, looks kinda nice to my eyes.

I'll reserve full judgement until I actually fingerbang one.

I have to say - since we are often at odds - that I'm impressed (sincerely) that you'd even consider the S4 to be decent enough to try out (even if it's briefly) vs writing it off.

 

[X38]

People throw the word innovation around far too loosely. This a 5 inch screen and hardware that's readily available is not innovation. It's not a knock at all, it's just the reality of it.

Now, i firmly agree that Apple is over due for an OS change up. iOS, although still fantastic, is now being perceived as dated by some. Maybe it is time to update iOS's approach in some ways.

There's only two things I want added to iOS:

1) Shared file space for user data. No reason Apple couldn't whip out a Finder like app for iOS in a week or so.

2) OS level support for external pointing devices as an option. This is already in the iOS SDK simulator - should be a trivial ad. Lower priority than item 1.

Both of these should have bee there since iOS 2.0. Otherwise nothing else I really need added at the OS level.

 

[techsmith]

Apple built a new market with iPhone 1 and its been spec bumps and competitor copy cats since then.

What wow do people really want from these things? There hasn't been a true wow since the iPhone 1.

Mostly agree with you, but honestly I was blown away by the retina display of the iPhone 4. First time I've seen a digital device with pixels so small that I couldn't make them out. And it will never happen again because any higher resolution you won't be able to see.

To be honest with you, I gotta laugh at some of these Android phones with 1080p displays and quad-core CPUs. Can't resolve the extra resolution, and phone OSs and apps use as little CPU power as possible to avoid killing the battery, so they are specs that are only useful for marketing IMO. It'll be a shame if Apple ever followed the same path of useless specs at the cost of battery in order to compete. Hopefully they can find a better way to innovate.

 

[inlinevolvo]

Yeah, just like no one ever needed more than 640k ram...

It's nowhere close to "over".

So more ram is revolutionary? If the next iphone had 4 gigs of ram, that's a revolution? I'm not following your analogy.

 

[Stella]

Some of these features are quite gimmicky, but there are some interesting features too - such as the eye tracking and Air Gestures. The translations could be kind of useful during foreign travel.

I'm sure this Galaxy will sell well. I'd be interested in its battery life... how much of an improvement is it really?

 

[ranjanrocks]

HTC is probably the worst company in terms of customer service. Enjoy your device.

i don't need any customer service help....i am not technically challenged....as long as they honor my warranty i don't care.....

 

[jm001]

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.

And? My Mac has a quad core i5 and I dont use all four cores unless I'm converting videos. It's a phone why on Earth would you go quad or 8 core? The iPhone5 does things the quadcore phones do just as fast. Opening apps is quick, games and overall control is smooth. Does the OS require quad or octo cores is the question you have to ask. All this Android hardware envy is ridiculous. Bells and whistles is all they are right now. I would like more RAM and a 4.x screen (.7, .8 either will do). Quad core is the max these phones should get.