So who's upgrade from an S3 or any Android to the S4?

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Count me in coming from an S3

Bigger and better screen
16/32/64 internal storage options
Slimmer and lighter.
InfraRed LED
Air touch
and the Samsung TW features seem never ending.

Update: It appears the Galaxy S 4 will also support wireless charging (based on the Qi standard). The global pre-production model we saw earlier didn't showcase this feature (as you can see from the in-line shot above). Here at the Radio City, however, we saw wireless charging pads and compatible backplates -- the latter of which we're told should ship with the GS 4 depending on region and carrier.

 

[2298754]

Coming from Note 2, I'm in. I'll do a pre-order whenever AT&T gets around to it. No hurry

 

[Technarchy]

First thing I want to know is if they are using the same horrible screen tech as the S3.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

First thing I want to know is if they are using the same horrible screen tech as the S3.

Super AMOLED
1,920 x 1,080
441 ppi

If you don't like AMOLED, then I don't know what to tell ya. I personally enjoy the S3 screen so I know I'll be more than happy with the S4 screen.

 

[tbayrgs]

I'm also on a Note 2 but gonna pass on the S4. Love the upgraded camera and 1080p display but that's really the only significant changes even vs. the Note 2 that entice me at all. I actually prefer stock AOSP and really don't use most of the current Touchwiz enhancements as it is, so all the new features are lost on me. TBH, most of the new stuff just seems gimmicky and on there for the sake of being new (and hold the flaming cuz I'd say the same thing if what I consider useless features were on added on any device/OS, including Apple).

I appreciate that Samsung is actually trying to bring new features and value to their devices, just don't see the utility in much of them, at least for me.

The HTC One was the device that had caught my eye but too many concerns about battery life, camera performance, and a few other minor quibbles have me waiting until later this year to see what's next.

 

[chagla]

*yet to be confirmed*

once again US carrier versions will be quad core and int'l unlocked version will be octa core! whats up with US telcos?

 

[McCool71]

InfraRed LED

THIS.

I seriously considered the HTC One for this long lost feature. I used it all the time back in the day (5+ years ago) when lots of phones had IR-transmitters built in.

I will never understand why this highly useful feature was removed from all phones - the vast majority of my appliances that can be remote controlled still use IR and it makes total sense to have the ability to control them from my phone which is near my all the time anyway.

 

[strausd]

First thing I want to know is if they are using the same horrible screen tech as the S3.

According to Engadget it is still pentile:
http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/14/samsung-galaxy-s-4-preview/

 

[McCool71]

whats up with US telcos?

Living in a country where I can buy any phone and use it with any carrier (as long as I pay what the phone actually costs instead of buying a subsidised phone which of course would lock me into a 12 or 24 month period) I am amazed at how the carriers in the US dictate what phone - and features you can use.

To me this seems like something from the dark ages, and not a modern way to run a business.

 

[Technarchy]

According to Engadget it is still pentile:
http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/14/samsung-galaxy-s-4-preview/

Well that's unfortunate.

I wonder if the brightness still sucks too.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

THIS.

I seriously considered the HTC One for this long lost feature. I used it all the time back in the day (5+ years ago) when lots of phones had IR-transmitters built in.

I will never understand why this highly useful feature was removed from all phones - the vast majority of my appliances that can be remote controlled still use IR and it makes total sense to have the ability to control them from my phone which is near my all the time anyway.

I'm glad someone feels my pain. I refuse to pay a hundred plus dollars for some Harmony remote, and regular universal remotes can't control half the things I have. The last phone I had with an IR was a WM5 Treo. It's a feature I've missed for the longest.

 

[TacticalDesire]

Nope. Happy with my nexus 4 and will be for a while. Especially considering ill be one of the first in line for key lime pie.

 

[Oohara]

Well that's unfortunate.

I wonder if the brightness still sucks too.

Screen brightness is my current biggest gripe with Samsung devices. I just wish they'd use screens that had the pop of my iP4S's screen. Not holding my breath for the S4 in this department, as it's still amoled albeit full HD.

 

[El3ctronics]

Nope. Happy with my nexus 4 and will be for a while. Especially considering ill be one of the first in line for key lime pie.

And the last one with LTE

 

[thehustleman]

More like galaxy S 3.5

But I'm thinking about it, not sure, just depends on how good of a deal I can find on Craigslist or eBay

 

[TheHateMachine]

Fine with the Note 2 for now. Might buy one for my GF though.

----------

Well that's unfortunate.

I wonder if the brightness still sucks too.

It does suck, I will say the brightness of the Note 2 is far better than the GS3 and is honestly really good at max. Perhaps this latest version of SAMOLED will be great. Also Engadget said the previous problems with Pentile subpixels is not noticeable with such a high res display.

 

[KentuckyHouse]

Nope. Happy with my nexus 4 and will be for a while. Especially considering ill be one of the first in line for key lime pie.

I feel this way too. I've got the iPhone 5 and S3 right now, but the S4 doesn't excite me enough to pay full price for it. For this reason, I'm now thinking about picking up a Nexus 4 to satisfy my tinkering side (although I'm running AOKP on my S3 right now anyway). Or maybe a Note 2 if I can find a good deal on a used one.

Hmm...

 

[andy9l]

I moved to a Samsung S3 in October last year, coming from about 4 years of iOS devices. No problems with it, no "missing features", but at the same time there's no features I really use that the iPhone 5 doesn't have too.

After watching today's announcement, I'll sit tight and wait for the next instalment of iOS. I'm assuming the iPhone 5S will be a minimal hardware upgrade, but if iOS is dramatically updated...I'll be tempted to move back across to the simpleton side!

The S4 has some pretty cool stuff - I especially like the idea of not having to touch the screen, and tilting to scroll. Much better one-handed use...especially given that the phone is relatively large to hold. The other features, however, felt a bit gimmicky - but that was expected.

I'm not disappointed, and I'm not "wow-ed". It's a new phone, and it'll be a very decent Android alternative to whatever Apple serves up next...and that will determine what I upgrade to, I think.

If you're a hardcore Android user, and aren't tempted by iOS (which is fair enough at the moment!), the S4 will ultimately be one of the best devices available to you for some months to come - no need to hold back if you're due an upgrade.

That's my opinion, at least.

 

[Hls811]

I just picked up a Note 2 about a month ago and right before my 30 day return window expired I sent it back and picked up a Razr Maxx HD. My plan was to hold onto it until the S4 announcement/release and then maybe sell the Razr on Gazelle or something and get the S4. After the announcement tonight and after a few days with the Razr I think I'll keep it for a while.

The S4 is very similar to a Galaxy 3S; I like the new features but none of them really make this a "must have" device. I don't recall which review I was reading but someone said it seems like Samsung is showing off what it can do, not necessarily showing off what people need. That being said I'm also enjoying the Maxx HD much more than I expected to. Its taking some getting used to and did revert to a launcher (Nova) to bring back some features that I'm missing without TouchWiz - specifically the ability to create folders in the App Drawer but overall I'm content for now without the need to jump to "the next big thing" that we already had.

 

[Technarchy]

Fine with the Note 2 for now. Might buy one for my GF though.

----------



It does suck, I will say the brightness of the Note 2 is far better than the GS3 and is honestly really good at max. Perhaps this latest version of SAMOLED will be great. Also Engadget said the previous problems with Pentile subpixels is not noticeable with such a high res display.

Upping the pixel density would help address pentil artifacts, but I wonder more about brightness at this point because the GS3 screen is pretty dreadful.

 

[TacticalDesire]

And the last one with LTE

Aside from email and web browsing I don't use much else on the web on my phone. The 6mbps I'm getting now is plenty fast for my uses and don't miss LTE at all. Its on the iPhone 5 here and while its nice I don't really need it.

 

[ChrisTX]

I have an S3 with an available upgrade, but I might just hold out for the Note 3. Not because this phone isn't good enough, but because the S3 was so good I feel like I can wait. The S4 looks evolutionary, not revolutionary.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

I have an S3 with an available upgrade, but I might just hold out for the Note 3. Not because this phone isn't good enough, but because the S3 was so good I feel like I can wait. The S4 looks evolutionary, not revolutionary.

I thought about doing the same, but I feel the Note 3 will probably be too big for me. At the moment, anything bigger than the Note 2 is just too much for me.

 

[bembol]

I updraded 18x in the past 3 years I had the Note, S3 and two Note 2's.

Of course I will upgrade to the S4 even though I'm disappointed that Samsung gave us a S3s. I'm sick of this look but I'm a wh*re. LOL

Sold my other Note 2 for BlackBerry Z10, hated it and sold it for hTc's upcoming One. I already put my Note 2 up on kijiji.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Might help some people: