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First glimpse of what could be the Samsung Galaxy S4


Click to view updated thread with images




Posted by laffen
Samsung Galaxy S4 will be unveiled later this week. Until then, the leaks keep coming. This time it seems like we have an actual device at hand

Samsung Galaxy S4

Esato News




Posted by Bonovox
Another imaginative design from Samsung

Posted by rikken
Well their handsets have nice ergonomics

Posted by Bonovox
No doubt it'll sell and their software is great but something more imaginative Sammy please

Posted by razec
Ugly or not this handset will still sell like hotcakes, unless I'm very much mistaken

Posted by Ranjith
Looks like their built hasn't improved..hmm

Posted by Miss UK
Nothing here screams out buy me
It looks like the last phone with a few
Improvements

Saying that I'm sure The Samsung following
Will be happy with it

Posted by Bonovox
http://www.youtube.com/watch?[....]=player_embedded&v=YzkfC7--jog

A video teaser here
[ This Message was edited by: laffen on 2013-03-11 20:15 ]


Posted by Del

On 2013-03-11 17:58:35, Sean72 wrote:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?[....]=player_embedded&v=YzkfC7--jog

A video teaser here



Ha, quite a fun video there Sean, but it doesn't leave me wanting more lol
[ This Message was edited by: laffen on 2013-03-11 20:15 ]


Posted by chunkybeats
like Apple, Samsung are going down that lazy design path, like I mentioned before about the note, these so called designers are simply cheating! Sony and LG are the best this year with their designs!

Posted by rikken
Yeah, Sony with their new Z which looks like an overgrown 4s and the LG Optimus G Pro which looks like the Note II. . . ..

Posted by Away
The Z looks like an overgrown ip4 because it is a black rectangle with a centered screen. Nice comment.

The reality is that the attention to detail is unparalleled in the Z. Test this statement and you'll realise it's a fact.

The g pro does look like a fake Samsung. You know LG are on something if they choose to copy the previously most ugly flagship.

Unless this is a fake, Samsung will continue to win the ugly phone of the year award, and they are still battling it out with Apple for the most recycled design over a period of a few years award.




Posted by worf1000

On 2013-03-11 19:45:07, Away wrote:
The Z looks like an overgrown ip4 because it is a black rectangle with a centered screen. Nice comment.

The reality is that the attention to detail is unparalleled in the Z. Test this statement and you'll realise it's a fact.

The g pro does look like a fake Samsung. You know LG are on something if they choose to copy the previously most ugly flagship.

Unless this is a fake, Samsung will continue to win the ugly phone of the year award, and they are still battling it out with Apple for the most recycled design over a period of a few years award.




And the whole Iphone design looks like Sony prototype design from Sony, so what is your point?

Posted by rickster2kuk
Wouldn't surprise me one bit if this turns out to be legit.

Why? Because Samsung have already stated that the S4 will be plastic build and will feature a physical button.

Samsung can't really do much more with their designs - they've already said that due to volume they can't mass produce beautiful handsets like the new HTC One. If they make it square it will look like the Z.

As Bono said, the main thing is the ergonomics, 5" is large for a phone and the Z didn't work very well imo with a square slab design. They could go down the route of HTC but as I explained above this would take longer and create delays. I also think the One works well with a smaller size.

Posted by Bonovox
The last decent desgin from Samsung was the Wave I & II all metal solid build. Why can't they do that for Android?? With Samsung's profits am sure they can mass produce a better or metal/aluminium design. Or go down Nokia route with full unibody polycarbonate design. I don't know, I just think Samsung can do more with designs. Looking at their handsets on GSM Arena they all nearly look similar. Despite saying this we all know it'll sell & that I do think Samsung's software & chips is the best!!


http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung-phones-9.php
[ This Message was edited by: Sean72 on 2013-03-11 19:55 ]


Posted by rickster2kuk
Totally agree Bono - Samsung hardware and touchwiz plus HTC One design would be amazing. But as well know that would be too easy.

If this turns out to be true then the One for me wins the award of best android build to date. Just a shame about that camera at the moment.

Posted by false_morel
I doubt this would be the next Galaxy! But also it won't be all surprising to turn out to be the one..

Samsung are simply relying on other factors than design and hardware innovations in general to sell. But they may be taking it too far with the GSIV! Same as Apple did before them with the latest iPhones.

Even if they cooked some new feature in that phone, I doubt it would be big enough to make it up for lack of any true hardware innovations. Like if they are really expecting eye scrolling to be the next big thing, they might be dead wrong this time over!

I guess the whole world is waiting. So let's wait and see..

Posted by rickster2kuk
I do think that Samsung, HTC, et al are getting to a saturation point with what they can do with a phone. Realistically we can't go any bigger screen size.

HTC have tried to be bold with the camera but haven't really pulled it off.

Camera and battery would be the next big thing for me albeit those aren't that exciting.

Posted by Tsepz_GP

On 2013-03-11 14:16:24, rikken wrote:
Well their handsets have nice ergonomics



Precisely.

As much as I would like for Samsung to blow us away with a brand new, jaw dropping, Metal and Polycarbonate bodied smartphone with a mind-blowing design, I'm more than happy to get something that is well designed for heavy use, is highly functional and gets updates fast and regularly.

Ergonomics is just so important these days, the one phone that really had me irritated in this department is the iPhone4/4S, with its sharp edges, I simply can't stand using one of these without a cover.

Samsung seem to understand the importance of ergonomics, the GS3 feels great in hand, smooth, rounded and very lite, if the GS4 is similar but with better CPU/GPU, more memory, larger display, lite weight and good battery then I'm sold. I prefer to have a phone that's powerful with great ergonomics, than to have a pretty phone that is just average or subpar at everything else and is uncomfortable to hold, see many already mentioning the design letdowns in the Xperia Z, owning a phone that size with that design does seem like a bit of a nightmare for me at least, the only phone that seems to get away
With sharp edges despite being large screened is the Nokia Lumia920 thanks to the materials used, Nokia are another one who totally understand the importance of ergonomics.
[ This Message was edited by: Tsepz_GP on 2013-03-11 20:28 ]


Posted by Bonovox
The mistakes HTC keep making is making phones too thin with small batteries. Samsung make their phones thin too but still put in a large battery. Why can't HTC??

Posted by Tsepz_GP
I think maybe the difference is the amount Samsung spend on crucial things like R&D and the fact that Samsung develop a lot of their own components in house, while an OEM like Htc or Sony have to 1st secure deals with all kinds of component manufacturers and so on, this could also explain why some OEMs take longer to release SW updates.

Samsung have a lot of resources at their disposal, so they do have quite an upper hand, even compared to Nokia in their best day, it's actually quite scary when you see how much of the industry Samsung runs even when it comes to components.

I do wish Htc would sort out their Battery situation though, it's pretty annoying, they always lag behind competition when it comes to Battery tech. Not only do Samsung make big batteries they even fit NFC chips into their batteries.

Posted by Bonovox
Yeah I know Samung are now he biggest mirco chip maker. They been doing that for a long time. I always thought Sony were more like Samsung with their own in house stuff but they seem to be not quite as they used to be imo. @Tsepz-GP I always think you always make some of the best points on Esato
[ This Message was edited by: Sean72 on 2013-03-11 22:07 ]


Posted by rickster2kuk
It's a real testament to how far Samsung have come and how they've totally embraced android.

3 years ago I wouldn't have touched Samsung with a barge pole.

The three main things that have impressed me coming from Sony to Samsung;
1. Hardware
2. Updates (best of all manufacturers)
3. Camera (Samsung seem to have nailed it here (bar 808/N8))

Even touchwiz has grown on me and I think it's more intuitive that it appears.
[ This Message was edited by: rickster2kuk on 2013-03-11 22:36 ]


Posted by randomuser
Confirmed it's the final GS4 design

http://www.phonearena.com/new[....]Galaxy-S-4-picture-yet_id40729

All I have to say is - YUCKKKKKKKKK

This is what you call PIG UGLY
[ This Message was edited by: randomuser on 2013-03-12 09:29 ]


Posted by Tsepz_GP
Thanks Sean many of these things I've learnt from all the past debates on this forum and some others, must say a part of me misses the days of Dogmann, Boinng, Whybe, Synn etc...How much they used to argue and yet how full of knowledge they were about this crazy industry.
Yep, Sony don't seem to be the powerhouse they used to be.

When ST-Microelectronics and Ericsson got together I thought we would see Sony gaining the most benefit out of their NovaThor chipsets, and see a true challanger to Samsung Exynos in the Android arena, but that didnt happen.

Rickster2kuk

+1, same here! I remember looking at TouchWiz and not taking it seriously until I got a GS2 and I was simply blown away at how fast, fluid and ridiculously functional it is, one of the many functions being the multi item clipboard feature, allowing us to copy/paste multiple things without worrying that anything will be overwritten, seems no other OEM has this to this day, also the built-in capability to Blacklist certain numbers, and now their focus on multitasking with multi view amongst other things.

Posted by Away
Exynos was beaten by the S4 pro in the time of the Note 2, and afaik, Samsung still haven't got integrated LTE. Qualcomm 's s800 should be the best chip this year for a phone.

Sony are becoming the powerhouse they used to be once again. The 2h flagships will make that undeniable. And 2014 should be the time when Sony will bring all their technologies - audio, display, camera (as well as what they already have such as amazing designs and build quality, and being the leaders in promoting and using NFC).

The s4, if these pics ARE real, which, like last year, I couldn't believe (due to how ugly they were), then sure the S4 will still sell, but other manufacturers will be able to compete with on design alone as they have really stepped it up.

The Z with all its intricacies, the One will its overall style, and maybe a few more.

Of the ones that will be able to stay relevant on design alone let alone everything else, I've so far only seen the Z advertised.


Posted by rickster2kuk
Looks like I was bang on with the leak being legit, looks more an more like it now.

Yes, the design is conservative but so long as it's comfy in the hand it will win for me (take note Xperia Z).

Looks the sides may be aluminium, camera also looks like it protrudes slightly. LED notification remains (hurrah).

Nature UX 2.0 (new version) looks very much like the current one on the S3 but they seem to have now moved from black backgrounds to white (on the phone function and settings) (aka more like stock android). Not sure if this is a good thing as I understand AMOLED uses more power for white pixels (correct me if I'm wrong).

Posted by Away
Stock android settings have a dark background.

Interesting, this may actually be aluminium. I never thought of that.

Quite understandably, bearing in mind the manufacturer.

They might as well outsource the design. Would look better that way.

Posted by Tsepz_GP

On 2013-03-12 19:56:39, rickster2kuk wrote:
Looks like I was bang on with the leak being legit, looks more an more like it now.

Yes, the design is conservative but so long as it's comfy in the hand it will win for me (take note Xperia Z).

Looks the sides may be aluminium, camera also looks like it protrudes slightly. LED notification remains (hurrah).

Nature UX 2.0 (new version) looks very much like the current one on the S3 but they seem to have now moved from black backgrounds to white (on the phone function and settings) (aka more like stock android). Not sure if this is a good thing as I understand AMOLED uses more power for white pixels (correct me if I'm wrong).


Exactly, in the end I'd rather have a phone that is great to hold so I can be more productive with it.

I'm also looking forward to seeing what the Nature UX 2.0 brings I like the fact that they use white, I'm sick of all the dark looking UIs, Android was starting to look a little dull and depressing with all the matte black, but I also question if its a good idea if the S4 has a AMOLED display....maybe the new FullHD Super AMOLED display has some interesting power saving technique when displaying white?

Anyway more details released, the GS4 will be rocking a PowerVR SGX544MP3 GPU:
http://www.gsmarena.com/confi[....]sxg_544_graphics-news-5681.php

Would've liked to have seen another Mali GPU though, simply due to how ridiculously powerful the GPUs in the S2 and S3 were, but I know PowerVR GPUs are apparently what the Devs prefer, and they do make the most powerful GPU found in a mobile device, the PowerVR SGX554MP4 found in the iPad4, and having owned one I can say up to this day not a single HD film or game has managed to fully utilize the monster GPU in it.

Now I wonder what audio chip Samsung will grace the GS4 with? The Wolfson DACs in the GS1 and GS3 were incredible, I hope they don't do like what they did with the GS2 and go with Yamaha or some other weird company.

This is what I like about this OEM, they look at the best component manufacturers for their flagships for all the components that they need to outsource.
[ This Message was edited by: Tsepz_GP on 2013-03-12 20:26 ]


Posted by >500

On 2013-03-12 19:56:39, rickster2kuk wrote:

Yes, the design is conservative but so long as it's comfy in the hand it will win for me (take note Xperia Z).



Maybe it's the size of my hands, but I didn't have an issue using the Z when I used it a couple times at work. Each to their own... (in Sony's case, there is also the ZL for purchase which should be more comfortable)

Im having a damn hard time choosing a new phone. My trusty old (and temporary) BB 9700 is driving me nuts. Sony, HTC or Moto/Nexus will get my $ next though I think.
[ This Message was edited by: >500 on 2013-03-13 01:34 ]


Posted by MyP910
Strange to see a company like Samsung can't produce a nice smartphone. What happen to their designer ? Don't they have any new idea ?

Sony, on the other hand, in every single product they release, it will always be beautiful. It is interesting to see how Sony is capable to come up with attractive design most of the time.

If that is really Samsung GSIV, it seems that the most attractive smartphone for 2013 will be Sony Xperia Z.

Posted by rickster2kuk
Full review - in Chinese so I can't read.

http://mobile.it168.com/a2013/0313/1461/000001461394_all.shtml

Samples from the camera look nice (although they don't look radically better than the S3).

Screen looks like it's been improved.

Width is pretty much the same as the S3, it's a bit taller thou, but thinner, weight has increased.

Touchwiz looks pretty much unchanged.

Posted by Bonovox
Someone from Apple has already bashed it

http://www.gsmarena.com/phil_[....]runs_on_dated_os-news-5697.php

Posted by Tsepz_GP
Starting to wonder whether I should stay up and watch the announcement live stream, with all these leaks just killing the suprise

WRT the design not being as "pretty" as the Z's, well the Nokia N95 wasn't as "pretty" as the K850 either, we also saw the tragic end to that story, nobody other than us really remembers the K850, while the N95 is now a classic and often still spoken about. Design can only get you so far, functionality and ergonomics trump it. The Xperia X10 Was much prettier than the Galaxy S, the Xperia Arc was prettier than the Galaxy S2 and the Xperia S and T were prettier than the Galaxy S3, each time, functionality and ergonomics trumped beauty. The Galaxy S2 remains one of the best selling Androids even getting Android JB, the Arc? Forgotten.

...it seems that the most attractive smartphone for 2013 will be Sony Xperia Z.


I'd say that's stretching it a bit, the Htc One is quite a looker to.

Posted by Bonovox
Well,like going on a date you can have good looks but crap for brains. Samsung phones have great brains inside but bland looks
[ This Message was edited by: Sean72 on 2013-03-14 22:11 ]


Posted by Away
I'd say marketing trumped the XT. The s2 was the one which did it for Samsung, it gained a lot of fans. The s3 lived off that success. The s4 might be even more successful, but after this, it will go downhill for Samsung.

It's also no longer the solo serious phablet maker.

What goes up must come down.

How can anyone justify a company doing so well and making so much money not bothering to refresh a design, or at least give a decent design?

It's something with little effect? Nope. Although it's not the be all and end all.

It's something difficult to execute? Nope.

Pure laziness (assuming the leaked pics are the real deal).

I remember reading a Samsung exec or someone similar say how Samsung was going to focus a lot more on design. Doesn't seem to be the case.

Posted by Tsepz_GP
The s4 might be even more successful, but after this, it will go downhill for Samsung.


are you some sort of psychic then?

Simply claiming they'll go down after this is pure ignorance, or are you some sort of hooked up insider with their entire product roadmap???

As we speak, Samsung are now tailoring phones for very specific markets, especially here in Africa, and have also made free WiFi deals for their devices in some markets that don't generally have free WiFi all over, this is now a company set on world dominance, it's building up a loyal fanbase, from the low end right up to the very high end, they are paying high attention to detail and spending ridiculous amounts on R&D and Marketing.

They are going anywhere but downhill, the only OEMs that can possibly catch them now is LG or Huawei.

Posted by etaab

On 2013-03-12 15:14:05, Away wrote:

The s4, if these pics ARE real, which, like last year, I couldn't believe (due to how ugly they were),


The funniest thing ive read all evening.

Keep in mind Samsung didnt get a single leak about the S3 last year out, so you couldnt have thought that back then.

I dont know if this leaked phone is the real deal, but i would be more surprised if it is the real deal. Samsung did a brilliant job of keeping the S3 a secret, so i dont think they'd allow the 4th to be so easily leaked.

Whats even more entertaining is how many anti-Samsung fans are loitering around the forum with the simple motive of to slag off the phone before and during its announcement. Quite sad.

Posted by rikken
Yeah, those who don't like Samsung spend more energy on them than the rest of us quite strange that jealousy

Posted by Away

On 2013-03-14 23:54:00, rikken wrote:
Yeah, those who don't like Samsung spend more energy on them than the rest of us quite strange that jealousy



Are you implying that I spend a lot of 'energy' on Samsung? Didn't know a few strokes of the keyboard was so tiring for you, but it isn't for me.

Some of the fake 'leaks' of the S3 ended up looking better than the actual product, which makes that worse.

And I say they will go downhill due to other manufacturers getting back in the game. Surely that wasn't too hard to figure out?

Posted by Bonovox
Actually i am planning on getting a GS3 Mini Not really into the massive top phones anymore. I don't feel, carrying them around to be honest. Samsung designs are bland but the software and chips are great. Something about the GS3 Mini i just like.
_________________
Material things don't matter,but Rock n Roll does!!!!

Nokia Lumia 620
AKA,Bonovox
[ This Message was edited by: Sean72 on 2013-03-14 23:17 ]


Posted by rikken
I believe that Mr. Away really wants a Samsung G S IV but it is so hard for him to admit it

Posted by laffen

On 2013-03-14 23:43:27, etaab wrote:
I dont know if this leaked phone is the real deal, but i would be more surprised if it is the real deal. Samsung did a brilliant job of keeping the S3 a secret, so i dont think they'd allow the 4th to be so easily leaked.


Looks like it was the real deal. Samsung managed to "leak" pictures and some specs for this phone ahead of the announcement. Samsung Mobile CEO JK Shin even emphasized the leaks in his introduction speach

Posted by etaab
It was indeed. I didnt think it would be, but to be honest, the fact that Samsung very quickly announced the S4 instead of waiting until well after MWC says to me they understand that the competition is getting stronger. Which is only a good thing for us as consumers.

I illustrate this as bad for Samsung. I wouldnt have expected the S4 to be announced until around April or May. I was shocked when they said it would be on 14th March. Last year, the S3 was announced well after the competition and released within the same month.

I think Samsung knew after CES and MWC they needed to bring the S4 announcement forwards asap.


Click to view updated thread with images


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