Samsung Galaxy S4: It's innovative

Samsung has finally unveiled its Galaxy S4 smartphone - packed with a host of new features it hopes will keep it one step ahead of the iPhone.

The company showed off the 4G Android-based device at its 'Unpacked' event in New York late last night. But the fourth generation of the handset, due out on April 26, is already dividing opinion among technology experts.

Many believe it is Samsung's best chance to steer people away from Apple's iOS operating system but some fear its new wave of features - some of which verge on the gimmicky - will be overlooked or unused by many general users.

Among the features announced was the expected motion-tracking called Smart Pause, which lets owners control the screen using their eyes. For example, when you are watching a video, it pauses when you look away, then starts again when you look back. The technology also means you can scroll the browser or your emails up and down with your eyes.

Air Gesture allows a wave of the hand to select items such as music tracks and Air View gives the ability to see what's in an email or folder just by hovering your finger over it.

With Dual Camera you can take simultaneous photos and videos using both the 13 megapixel rear camera and lesser two megapixel front snapper. These can then be blended together to make a digital collage. Both can also be used for group video calling and can capture sound attached to still images.

Simon Stanford, of Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland, said many of the adaptations came from customer suggestions. He said: "We are restless about innovation, and are constantly striving to create unique experiences for our customers that will transform their lives. The Galaxy S4 does just that.

"We have listened to what consumers around the world want and taken the intuitive technology from the Galaxy SIII a step further."
 

He said: "The improvements to eye tracking and the additions of S Translator and the hover feature and so on are good steps in this direction, but they can be seen as gimmicks rather than game changers.

"Samsung appears to be trying to kill the competition with sheer volume of new features – there should be something here for everyone, even if most of these new features won't be used by most users.

"There are lots of features, but based on past experience most people will never even find them on the device."

Yan added: "Having innovated rapidly over the last several years to vaunt itself into top spot in the world smartphone rankings, Samsung now faces essentially the same challenge as Apple: how to continue to improve its devices year on year when existing phones are already top of their class, and there aren't obvious shortcomings?

"As rivals such as HTC and Sony up the specs of their devices and provide ever better hardware, it becomes more and more important for Samsung to differentiate on software and services."

Jason Jenkins, editor of CNET UK, said: "Quite a few new features are pointless - who wants to wave at their phone to control it, for example? Regardless, there is no doubt in my mind that the Galaxy S4 will sell incredibly well. The S4 will wipe the floor with the Android competition, just as the last one did."

Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at uSwitch.com, said while the device does have its merits, it could be set for a battle for smartphone supremacy. He explained: "Samsung's latest effort looks set to be the biggest handset of the year – and that's in spite of an inevitable iPhone sequel. However, several manufacturers are trying to fan the flames of a revival, and a string of strong recent launches from BlackBerry, Sony, and HTC will give Samsung some stiff competition."

But according to Scott Hooton, chief commercial officer at Phones 4u, recent YouGov research showing 46% of smartphone owners are considering getting a Samsung model next. It backs up what his company has seen with pre-registrations already much higher against those for the last Galaxy SIII model.

The Galaxy S4 will also be a key test for the new 4G superfast mobile phone networks coming to the UK this summer. It could boost take-up of 4G subscriptions but with Vodafone, O2 and 3 not yet having their service up and running, EE will be the first to launch the Galaxy S4 on a 4G platform.

Fred Huet, of analysts Greenwich Consulting, believes the differences between the latest Samsung and Apple's iPhone are now extremely telling, but he does not rule out the US electronics giant pulling a rabbit from its hat later this year.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Launched In New York

 

Technology giant Samsung has unveiled its new Galaxy S4 smartphone, a handset which allows users to control the screen using their eyes.

The range of new features were revealed at the global launch in New York, including a dual camera function that can take two pictures at once and "smart pause", which lets users pause a video by looking away from the screen.

"We have taken technology and innovation forward to help us get closer to what matters in life, to help us live a richer, simpler and more full life," said JK Shin, president and head of IT and mobile communications at Samsung.

The highly-anticipated smartphone is predicted to pose a major threat to Apple and its dominance of the US market.

But investors have largely shrugged off the launch. Shares in Samsung were 2.3% lower in Seoul on Friday.
The device will be on sale in the UK from April 26, and will be available through 327 mobile operators in 155 countries, including Orange, EE and Vodafone.

Samsung is said to be expecting sales of its new handsets to be as high as 10 million per month, largely driven by its new features, which were demonstrated in a theatrical launch event at the Radio City music hall and Times Square.

A heavily emphasised feature was the Galaxy S4's remote technology which allows users to control functions without touching the 5in (12.7cm) screen.

As well as "smart pause", "smart scroll" lets users browse through emails without touching the screen, the S4 detecting the movements of the eyes and wrist.

Users can also change music tracks or accept a call with a wave of a hand.

Performers on the Radio City stage acted out role-plays to demonstrate other features.

A 'doting father' took photos of his tap-dancing son to show off the dual camera function, which means you can take photos or video using a 13 megapixel rear camera and a two megapixel front camera at the same time and blend the images together, even recording voice tags with them

The phone also has an in-built translator, which can translate voice or text, can measure temperature and humidity, allows users to activate commands via voice control when driving and even monitors your health.
The S4 also automatically creates "story albums" of photos and videos, which can be synchronised with devices at home, while a "group play" function lets people enjoy music, photos and games with people around them.

Marketed as "slimmer and stronger", the S4 weighs 130g and is 7.9mm thick, while its AMOLED technology means the screen has a resolution of 441 pixels per inch.

But technology critics have been divided in their opinions, with some saying the phone was just an update that did not feel "revolutionary".

Web magazine Engadget said it felt the new product "fell flat next to the competition" and that it had an "unabashed focus on features over designs".

But Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at uSwitch, said the handset "more than" lived up to its hype.
"With brains as well as beauty, Samsung's latest effort looks set to be the biggest handset of the year - and that's in spite of an inevitable iPhone sequel.

"However, several manufacturers are trying to fan the flames of a revival, and a string of strong recent launches from BlackBerry, Sony, and HTC will give Samsung some stiff competition."

Technology website The Verge said: "There's a baffling collection of new software here."
Paul Thompson, managing director of mobile advertising company BlisMedia, said the S4 "set" the benchmark on how a mobile device can be integrated into daily life.

He praised the eye-controlled features as "ground-breaking innovation that could change the face of how we use technology", saying "there is certainly enough to set the Galaxy S4 apart from the iPhone 5 by some distance".

Samsung Galaxy S4 Smartphone Set For Launch

Technology fans are gearing up for one of the biggest product launches so far in 2013 - Samsung's Galaxy S4 smartphone.

The unveiling will take place later in New York, with the South Korean firm hoping to set a new benchmark for its rivals.

Rumours circulating on the internet suggest the handset will have a high definition five-inch screen, a 13-megapixel camera and a powerful eight-core processor.

There is also speculation that users may be able to scroll the screen using just their eye movements.
The handset's predecessor, the Galaxy S3, was a massive success for Samsung following its release last year.
It quickly became the standard bearer for Android phones and, combined with the firm's other devices, helped the company overtake Apple as the world's biggest-selling smartphone maker.

However, the iPhone is still the most popular smartphone globally and Apple also has a slightly larger market share in the US.

The stateside launch is therefore being seen as a bold move by Samsung to try to tip that balance.
Samsung has teased the S4 with YouTube videos and, in recent days, a shadowy picture of the phone.
Greg Isbister, the CEO of mobile advertising company BlisMedia, said if the rumours are true then the new device has great potential and the "ability to disrupt the mobile market".

He pointed out that data from any eye tracking technology could also prove useful to advertisers.
"(It could) determine the effectiveness of advertising campaigns and generally give us a feel for what content - format, colour and position on the screen - holds our attention the most."

But Mr Isbister is also hoping that Samsung will improve the usefulness of the Near Field Communication (NFC) technology that featured in the S3.

"Currently the feature is completely useless," he told Sky News. "There should be payment integration and the ability to integrate travel such as oyster systems."

Recent months have also seen Samsung's rivals launching flagship products, keen to steal customers from the big two.

Taiwanese firm HTC is looking to turn around a big drop in profits with the HTC One handset - which has been widely praised by technology sites.

Canada's BlackBerry is also hoping to boost its flagging fortunes with the BlackBerry 10, while China's Huawei last month unveiled what it claims is the fastest phone yet - the Ascend P2.

Apple's next shot in the smartphone arms race is expected this summer with an update to the iPhone 5.