Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
The Galaxy S5
- Thread starter The Game 161
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I think the S3 to the S4 was a significant enough jump 8MP to 13MP in the camera, 4.8" 720 display to a 5" 1080dis play were significant enough features, IMO.
As I've stated, there's nothing that is a "must have" feature in the S5 that I don't have on my S4. A mediocre fingerprint scanner, useless heart rate scanner and 2,000 more mAh on the battery isn't that great of a feature set to me.
I'm watching all the videos, reading all the reviews, and I still can't get excited about this phone..
The only thing that really has me excited is that I no longer find TouchWiz as horrid as I used to, with the new update. If they released a Mini with my preferred specs, I might actually enjoy using TouchWiz for a change.
Too each their own, but for me ....
Hardware:
Bigger Screen, might not seem big on paper but a .1 or .2 makes a noticeable different.
Faster processor
Better camera
Support for 128GB MicroSD card
Bigger battery
Fingerprint Scanner
Water resistant, up to 30 minutes, up to a depth of 1m.
Heart Rate monitor
Wi-Fi 802.11ac and 2X2 MIMO
Software:
Revamped TW which I doubt you'll see on the S4 for at least 6 months, if that.
Ultra power saving mode seems nice especially since you can add or subtract what limited apps can run.
In my book that sounds like a decent upgrade to me, and I most likely left out some stuff. Pretty sure this level of upgrade would leave most iPhone users happy, as history suggests.
And concerning the lack of 3gb ram that everyone is bickering about, memory is probably still going to always show about 1.2gb free ram anyways, due to management.
I don't know if I want to wait on the Note 4. Might end up getting the S5, then selling it to get the Note 4 when it comes out.
Just two things better over the S4:
- Camera seems really really great based on samples so far. Let's wait for final reviews to see if it's as great as we're seeing. I also like 4K video recording.
- Comes with 4.4, so you are guaranteed the next three Android updates. It's not all about hardware. If you buy now the S4 you won't get past one more final Android update.
Everything else I agree. The S5 was a major letdown.
The camera on the S4 is no slouch in its own right. It's on par with the best cell phone cameras on the market today.
In optimum conditions, like outside. Indoors in low light I've found it quite slow and flaky at times.
Pre orders start in the UK on March 28th
Pre orders start in the UK on March 28th. No word yet on pricing. Available worldwide on April 11th.
http://www.sammobile.com/2014/03/12/galaxy-s5-will-be-available-to-pre-order-in-the-uk-from-march-28/
Pre orders start in the UK on March 28th. No word yet on pricing. Available worldwide on April 11th.
http://www.sammobile.com/2014/03/12/galaxy-s5-will-be-available-to-pre-order-in-the-uk-from-march-28/
Just watched some of those videos.
I don't like the phone that much (the UI is 90% the same as my current SGS3), but the private mode was kind of interesting (mainly for documents if it can do that), although there are some apps on the Play Store that can do similar stuff (put a password on certain apps).
Despite having the 801 and all, I still saw the UI slower than the Nexus 5 due to that heavy skin.
I use the Note III and the S5 does not impress me at all. Maybe if the S5 was announced with the 2K 5.2" display and with 4GB of RAM...etc, then maybe i would bat an eye. The Note III is the most superior and most powerful Galaxy device in the market even after the S5 launches. Even with the Snapdragon 801 CPU, Note III wins. 
I was thinking that the Z2 and SGS5 may have another problem IMO: having to charge the phone every day through the USB port will be a problem because it has a cover.
In time the USB cover could break easily, don't you think? I would hate to have to take the cover off every day and in 2 years it falls off or whatever.
In time the USB cover could break easily, don't you think? I would hate to have to take the cover off every day and in 2 years it falls off or whatever.
I was wondering the same thing about the flap covers. I want to see them in person to see how they are made and attached. I do think Sony offers a wireless dock for the Z2 so you don't have to keep opening and closing the flaps.
I think people assumed there would be a S5 Prime because they felt let down at the S5 announcement. But it would be very bad PR to release the S5 then 60 days or less release an upgraded version.
I might skip the S5 and seriously look at the Sony Z2. I already have an N3 so getting another Samsung phone with just feel too much like the same thing.
I am watching for the G3 and Z2...but will still checkout the S5 in stores when it is released next month.
If Sammobile is to be believed, the S5 Prime will be more expensive and cater to the "Designer"conscious consumer. This is a wrong approach in my opinion as if you look at the OEM;s that have had a success at selling great looking phones with premium materials (HTC, Nokia (in the past) , Apple) they have always incorporated those materials and designs into one model/phone that the have sold as a flagship. A $800-1000 premium Galaxy S5 defeats the entire purpose of having a GS5 set itself apart from the S4//S3 families in terms of design as Samsung upper management hinted before the GS5 launch.
What I think is happening is that Samsung were extremely disappointed (which they let the media and the public know) at the Galaxy S4 sale in Q3 and Q4 of 2013 and the downwards trend of the galaxy family vis-a-vis the iphone post 5s launch (especially in Europe where the galaxy family does extremely well)..Samsung in order to boost the sales introduced the GS5 with incremental features at the fastest OUT of the DOOR speed they could. Their real effort at the NG Galaxy device would still be some time away and closer to the iPhone 6 launch...They will try to peg their galaxy family as a choice between the GS5 and the GN6 with the GS5/P being somewhere in the middle in terms of features but at par with the GN6 in terms of price.
Samsung has had no issues with fragmenting their flagship device with multiple models with different capabilities and at different price points. So a Prime variant of the GS5 2 months after GS5 launch would not be uncharacteristic. Galaxy users are used to having multiple iterations of the device(s) being launched periodically by Samsung.
For me, it's the water resistant, scaled back Touch Wiz and the fact that T-Mobile will be offering the 32gb variant online.
I had to return my S4 because it was just not enough space. Right now I'm using a cheapy android until the S5 is here.
Those are some great points.... I agree with you that the global GS4 sales slowed considerable after the the 5S release. Apple made the mistake of releasing two phone at the same time. One with upgraded specs (5S) and lower specs (5C) but basically the same phone. But sales of the 5C are dwarfed by the 5S. So maybe Samsung didn't want to do the same thing? They didn't want to release a S5 along side of a S5 Prime (or whatever they want to call it). Because the buying public would seem to want the upgraded model versus the lesser model. But as we all know Samsung will release several different versions of the same phone. So we very well see multiple versions of the Galaxy S5 trickling out all summer before the N4 release this fall.
----------
You could always use a SD Card? Would help you with the storage? I mean you could store all of your music, photos or whatever on the SD Card....For me, it's the water resistant, scaled back Touch Wiz and the fact that T-Mobile will be offering the 32gb variant online.
I had to return my S4 because it was just not enough space. Right now I'm using a cheapy android until the S5 is here.
I think he refers to apps, but I believe they can be installed on the SD too thanks to Touchwiz (move 2 SD). On the S3 and S4 it's possible with the latest update by Samsung.
Apple did very well at crafting the 5S and 5C..They faltered in predicting the right/correct balance in production between the two as they themselves have acknowledged. The 5s was virtually sold out for weeks, while the 5c was available in plenty. The 5C for apple was essentially a refresh of the original 5 that would allow for greater sales and a better margin (due to lower cost)..I do not think anyone would doubt that apple would not have been able to sell as many iphone 5 models at a $100 lower price post 5s launch as they managed to sell 5C's. It gave its consumers "choice" of having different colors and do so at a lower price point. It was in no way a flagship. Although Apple does not release sales of individual iphone models, there is data that indicates that the 5C despite being (for all practical purpose) a cheaper 5 sold much better then flagship phones in its class (Gs4, LgG3 etc) at least in the US. Apple's follie was in production management which is not surprising as apple (unlike samsung) has very little experience in launching multiple handsets in one go and getting the logistical complexity sorted out.
For Samsung its about shedding the image that its phones are "plastic" therefore not premium and the fact that they want the GS family to distinguish itself from the previous generation (as commented upon by its executive). Where I think they are getting it all wrong is that they are trying to create a DESIGNER phone in terms of spec and design. Where HTC and Apple have had success in phone designs is in getting their flagships that look and feel great due to workmanship..They do not bother with having diamond studded models that are 30-40% greater in price compared to the standard flagship. A 800-1000$ phone would hardly do much for Samsung's image (that it itself wanted to change if some of its executive are to be believed) for they have been producing expensive "designer" phone models for some time now..but that has little effect on the design aspect of its standard flagships..