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Gadget Alert: Samsung S4 Unveiled

Mar 27 2013.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 was probably the most anticipated device of the year. Like it promised, Samsung has designed a device that is amazing in almost every way: the hardware is awe-inspiring, the OS is as good as it gets, and new features really help the S4 stand out from the (very large) crowd of Android devices.

Yet, now that it is here, one can’t help but feel a bit ambivalent about the whole thing. Don’t get me wrong, the S4 is almost certainly the best phone money can buy (at-least for this entire year) and I have always been a long-time fan of Android. Nevertheless, the constant pressure to release a new version of a smartphone every year, is injecting a dose of boring predictability into the whole process. Some of the “innovative” features seem more and more like gimmicks. Moreover, some of the fundamental problems with smartphones seem to be conveniently ignored.

The S4 might not be revolutionary but for many, it is still worth drooling-over. There are two things, the S4 does well that deserve genuine credit: firstly, it has integrated better hardware without compromising the design and exploring new navigation/control systems apart from touch.

Pros

Amazing Hardware Upgrade

New Navigation and Control Features

Cons

Body still made of plastic

Some features are more like gimmicks

Design

Obviously the first thing that grabs your attention is the stunning screen. The S4 features a stunning 5” 1080p Super AMOLED display (441 PPI). This isn’t as amazing as the HTC One (468 PPI) but stunning nevertheless. What is more impressive is that the entire design of the S4 (136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9mm) is neatly contained in a body that is smaller than the S3 (136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm. The entire device weighs in at about 130g. That is certainly an impressive feat of engineering.

What is not so impressive is the fact the entire body is constructed of plastic, just like the S3. Samsung should really take a look at how Apple or HTC (HTC One) gets things done. Performance can only get you so far; design matters too.

Performance

Underneath the hood, things only get better. The S4 boasts an amazing octa-core 1.6 GHz Exynos 5 processor, which is complimented with 2GB RAM. Many would complain that this is extravagance no S4 can afford because a processor like this would put an enormous strain on the battery. However, the 8 cores are not entirely the same. The processor consists of four small cores and 4 big cores. The small cores are specially designed for more menial tasks while the larger cores are reserved for heavy-duty tasks. Thus, the greater processing might be possible without an extra strain on the battery. However, all that needs to be confirmed later. The S4 comes in three variants: 16GB, 32GB and 64 GB. It also has an external memory card slot.

Battery

Samsung has gone out of its way to upgrade the battery on the S4 to a 2,600mAh pack from the 2,100mAh pack found on the S3. Once again, it is worth reminding ourselves of the fact that Samsung managed to get this done without increasing the thickness of the S4. Ideally, this would allow users a full-day of energy-intensive usage. As long as we are stuck with Li-ion technology (as opposed to something like Li-air), anything radically longer borders on idle fantasy.

The S4 also comes loaded with a number of standard sensors and features that we generally expect of modern smart phones.

Camera

The S4 boasts an amazing pair of cameras - 13MP primary camera and 2MP secondary camera. Whether this is better than the HTC One’s Ultrapixel camera is yet to be determined but judging by some of the early reviews, HTC One comes up on top.

Not surprisingly, Samsung imported a lot of UI and design features from the Galaxy camera, that makes it a lot easier to navigate through different features. Some interesting modes features include Burst Mode (with Drama Settings), Eraser Mode, Cinema Mode, etc.

The S4 also allows users to record video and pictures with the front and back cameras simultaneously. I’m not entirely sure about the value of such features. One reason I’m uncomfortable with features like this (including other things like NFC, which is unusable in Sri Lanka) because it is difficult to avoid the feeling of paying for something that will never be used.

Interface

Samsung’s Touchwiz overlay remains essentially the same but there are a number of upgrades that refresh the user experience while making the system more simplified.

Importantly, the S4 runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2. One of the most noticeable features in the system is improved notification bar. This doubles as a central control panel where users can activate/deactivate virtually any feature on the phone. Other features, however, seem to hover on the edge of gimmickry and science fiction.

Samsung has invested a lot in exploring new navigation and control features:such as Smart Pause and Smart Scroll. The former automatically pauses a video if a user’s gaze leaves the screen. Smart scroll, on the other hand, allows users to scroll up/down a document or webpage by simply tilting the phone. These features are pretty cool but right now the general consensus is that it will only appeal to a niche audience. The fact that Smart Pause takes a second to register (which means you miss a second of the video) and Smart Scroll lacks pin-point accuracy according to early reviews, puts the value of these features in doubt.

Something that should get a little more credit is the Smart Alert System that has been upgraded with Air Gestures. This allows users to navigate through pictures, music tracks and even basic control features without actually touching the screen. This reminds me of the “Minority Report”, where Tom Cruise’s character manages to navigate through the futuristic control panel without having to touch the screen like one of us savages.Then there is also the Hover Mode, which allows users to preview emails, scroll through videos, etc.

Last but not least, the stock keyboard has been replaced with Android’s Swiftkey 4, which probably represents the ultimate combination of swiping and prediction. There are plenty of other upgrades and changes but I think the above mentioned features deserve the most attention.

Verdict

Make no mistake, the Samsung S4 is full of new and exciting features. The new hardware and improved interface is certainly exciting but they do not represent a radical overhaul. Of the many improvements, the amazing processing power, stunning display and the fact that Samsung has managed to pack all the improvements within a smaller body, are particularly noteworthy.

However, as mentioned earlier, the Samsung S4 is not revolutionary; it’s an evolutionary product. The fact that it looks very similar to the S3 does not make things easier. This is somewhat reminiscent of the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 scenario. There are plenty of new features on the Samsung S4 but it might not be worth upgrading from and S3. Instead, there is a better case for leapfrogging from an S2 (or similar phone).

Reviewed by Navam Niles