Samsung Launches The Galaxy S4

Samsung formally unveiled the latest in its Galaxy S line-up of smartphones, the Galaxy S4 (or officially, the Galaxy S 4). The phone features a 5″ screen without getting larger than the Galaxy S3 plus an array of features that seemingly put Samsung’s own brand ahead of Google and Android. For more about the lack […]

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Galaxy S4Samsung formally unveiled the latest in its Galaxy S line-up of smartphones, the Galaxy S4 (or officially, the Galaxy S 4). The phone features a 5″ screen without getting larger than the Galaxy S3 plus an array of features that seemingly put Samsung’s own brand ahead of Google and Android.

For more about the lack of Google in today’s announcement, see our separate story: Samsung Introduces Galaxy S4 With Nary A Mention Of Android Or Google.

As for the phone itself, you’ll find the formal rundown below. Even further below, you’ll find our live blogging coverage.

The Specs

Samsung said the phone will be available worldwide some time in April, supporting both 3G and 4G LTE. Here are the key specs, drawing from the official press release and press site:

  • Colors: Black Mist or White Frost, more to come later
  • Screen Size: 5″
  • Screen Resolution: 441ppi, Super AMOLED
  • Display Resolution: 1920×1080
  • Weight: 130g (4.58 oz)
  • Height: 136.6mm (5.38″)
  • Width: 69.8mm (2.75″)
  • Thickness: 7.9mm (0.31″)
  • Android Version: Jelly Bean 4.2.2
  • Cameras: 13 MP back, 2 MP front
  • Battery: 2,600 mAh
  • RAM: 2GB
  • Storage: 16/32/64GB with microSD slot for up to 64GB more

Here’s an at-a-glance on specs from today’s livestream:

Galaxy S4 Specs

Touchless Features

Perhaps the most interesting new features are those that allow you to control the device as if you were touching it, even if you are not:

  • Smart Pause: Pauses a video when you look away
  • Smart Scroll: Scrolls emails, browser info and more by looking and tilting your wrist
  • Air View: Hover with fingers to get a preview of content
  • Air Gesture: Wave your hand to change music, take a call, scroll a web page

S Features

Here are some “S” features that follow on the line of things like “S Voice” or “S Note,” assistance products that Samsung uses with its phones:

  • S Voice Drive: Converts text-to-speech, larger fonts and other change and feature designed to help drivers better interact with their phones safely
  • S Translate: Speak in one of nine languages and have the phone speak back to someone else in that language
  • S Health: Sensors in the phone can measure things like steps taken, and you can extend health monitoring with additional sensors

Here’s a quick look at S Health from today’s livestream:

shealth

An example of S Voice Drive:

S Drive

Photo, Video & Music Features

Here are some key features related to photos, video and music:

  • Dual Camera: Can put a picture of the person shooting with the camera into the scene being shot
  • Dual Video Call: You can see who you are talking to, your own video and a video image you’re streaming
  • Drama Shot: Creates a montage with photos shot in a quick period of time
  • Sound & Shot: Stores sound with a picture
  • Story Album: Group pictures into an album, which can be printed through Blurb, for a cost
  • Group Play: Share music, photos, documents and more with others
  • Share Music: Related to the above, one song on multiple devices
  • Adapt Display: Customizes display quality depending on what you’re viewing
  • Adapt Sound: Customizes sound quality
  • WatchON: Turns your phone into an IR remote to control a variety of devices

Here’s Dual Camera:

dual camera

Drama Shot:

dramashot

Dual Video Call:

dualvideo

Live Coverage

Marketing Land’s mobile editor Greg Sterling and I were invited to the event but couldn’t make it out, unfortunately — too close to our own SMX conference that just ended. But we covered via the livestream, which you can also watch below, in addition to our liveblogging.

The livestream (it gets going at 40 minutes in):

[youtube width=”560″ height=”315″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDXILsX7_QI[/youtube]

The live blogging:

There’s related coverage here at Techmeme, with a few brief hands-ons from VentureBeat, GigaOm and The Verge. Also see our related story, Samsung Introduces Galaxy S4 With Nary A Mention Of Android Or Google.


Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily MarTech. Staff authors are listed here.


About the author

Danny Sullivan
Contributor
Danny Sullivan was a journalist and analyst who covered the digital and search marketing space from 1996 through 2017. He was also a cofounder of Third Door Media, which publishes Search Engine Land, MarTech, and produces the SMX: Search Marketing Expo and MarTech events. He retired from journalism and Third Door Media in June 2017. You can learn more about him on his personal site & blog He can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

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