20 million Galaxy S4 sold worldwide

Generation after generation, nothing seems to be able to stop Samsung. And despite some rumors claiming that Galaxy S4 sales are losing steam, the flagship smartphone has nothing to worry about.

JK Shin, Samsung’s mobile division president, has declared that the ultra high-end smartphone is selling very well. Today, the sales number are out and add some serious weight to those declarations.

With the twenty millions units milestone crossed off the list, the Galaxy S4 has set a new record in the Android world. It only needed 70 days to reach these sales when its older brother the Galaxy S3 had needed 100 days to reach the same point.

In its home country alone, South Korea, the Galaxy S4 has shipped more than 500 000 units. There is no doubt left now of the S4′s overwhelming success in the world, and the arrival of the Galaxy Note 3 should only solidify Samsung’s global domination.

The Galaxy S4 Google Edition will not get updates through Google

As we told you earlier today, the Galaxy S4 Google Edition is now available for order on the Play Store here in the US. It will offer a pure Nexus experience to all those who want stock Android while still showing off all of the Samsung high-end’s qualities.

While this version of the S4 forgoes the TouchWiz overlay and all associated features, there is a significant upside to this slimmed-down version: updates.

With this announcement, many thought this meant the device would be in sync with the other Nexus handsets with regards to updates, but this does not appear to be the case anymore.

Indeed our peers over at AnandTech have gotten their hands on the Google Edition (reference number GT-I9505G) source code on Samsung’s Open Source website. This likely means the manufacturer will be the one to issue updates to the Google Edition S4 devices and not Google.

And while the Mountain View firm offers this stock version of the Galaxy S4, it seems they are reluctant to add it directly to the Nexus lineup. As the Nexus brand is meant as a tightly Google-controlled showcase of stock Android’s abilities, each new iteration in the product line is designed under close scrutiny by software giant, which they cannot do with Samsung’s handset. Thus there is no “Google guarantee” of product performance or quality, despite the overwhelming critical success attained by the S4.

On top of this, Samsung, despite being Google most influent partner in the Android and more generally mobile ecosystem, is still a competitor — much the same way Apple buys many of the displays equipping their iPhones and iPads from Samsung and yet wage a ferocious legal battle against them. Google’s reluctance to dub the S4 Google Edition a “Nexus”, therefore, comes as no surprise.

Bottom line: it is likely users will still have to suffer a delay before getting each update, though that delay will probably be much shorter than the current waiting time for run-of-the-mill Galaxy S4 devices which tend to depend not only on Samsung’s release schedule but also on mobile providers whims.

The Galaxy S4 rewarded for its high quality SUPER AMOLED display

As it has consistently been made clear by all the reviews written up by the tech press, the Galaxy S4, Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone, boast a Super AMOLED display of the highest quality.  Today, this display was acknowledged and rewarded by Underwriters Laboratories.
As you probably already know, the Galaxy S4 is equipped with a five inch Super AMOLED display featuring a Full HD resolution. On top of these base specs, Samsung has implemented the Adapt Display technology which allows  the screen to adjust the colors levels depending on light conditions. This can be set to manual or automatic adjust.
Underwriters Laboratories has therefore rewarded the Galaxy S4′s AMOLED display for its achievement in quality. The smartphone was acknowledged, in particular, for the high level of color fidelity. In this domain, the Galaxy S4 covers 97% of the Adobe RGB spectrum: around 30% more than most of the competitors on the market.

New photos confirm Galaxy S4 Zoom design

As we revealed the first visual of the Galaxy S4 Zoom earlier, new snapshots of the device confirm the appearance of this connected camera coming soon to retailers near you.

When this first visual surfaced earlier today, we voiced some doubts as to its credibility. Now, those doubts are erased as those pictures lend weight to the first image we released.

On découvre donc un terminal à l’apparence très familière avec le Galaxy S4 Mini, auquel on aurait ajouté un zoom optique x10. Au niveau de la résolution de l’appareil photo, le capteur disposerait d’une résolution de 16 mégapixels.

In a few words, we have what looks close to a Galaxy S4 Mini with a 10x optical zoom added. The digital camera sensor is confirmed to be 16-megapixel capable.

Get the Galaxy S4 in any color you want with Colorware

Are the basic black and white colors available for the Galaxy S4 not for your taste? Are the blue, brown, red and purple casings which will come out in a few weeks not tickling your fancy either? How about getting a personnalized color of your choice?

For a thousand dollars, Colorware allows you to pick any color in the visible light spectrum for your Galaxy S4. And for this price, the Galaxy S4 is NOT included. This is the prohibitive price of having a unique smartphone.

Colorware will use your money to take your phone appart. clean it thouroughly, paint it and reassemble.

A Snapdragon 800 version of the Galaxy S4 coming soon?

As you know, the Galaxy S4 sold in North America comes equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor. On top of this, around 70% of all Galaxy S4 models sold worldwide come with this CPU, with the rest running on Exynos 5 Octa chips made in-house by Samsung.

Today, the AnTuTu benchmark database saw the apparition of a new entry in the shape of a Galaxy S4 equipped with a Snapdragon 800 running at 2.3GHz. The device runs Android 4.2.2, is 4G/LTE enabled, and the scores an underwhelming 24179. Oddly enough, the older, slower S600 performs better on the same hardware and software specs. It is likely, however, that this is only a prototype which has yet to be optimized at all.

Depending on the source, if such a model was released, it would be a release limited to South Korea in September. In any case, if a new version of the S4 was released with a third different processor, it would further complicate following the hardware lineup, but that’s what we’re all about here, so we’ll do our best to clarify the state of things to come.

First visual of the Galaxy S4 Zoom?

On June 20th, Samsung will throw their Premiere 2013 event, where new Android and Windows Phone handsets will be revealed. Among them, the Galaxy S4 Zoom could make an appearance.
What we think is the Galaxy Camera‘s spiritual successor is a variation on the Galaxy S4 core device, and will spearhead the second generation of connected digital cameras.
According to the latest rumours, the Galaxy S4 Zoom will be equipped with a 4.3″ qHD display, and will run on a dual-core chip @ 1.6Ghz. Most interesting feature of the phone, however, will be the 10x optical zoom coupled with the 16-Megapixel digital camera.
And while we had some ideas concerning the tech specs of this future device, we had no idea what this hybrid would look like. Today, we got our hands on the first credible visual for the Galaxy S4 Zoom.
Avec une allure très semblable au Galaxy S4 auquel on aurait ajouté un zoom optique, ce visuel nous laisse quelque peu perplexe. Même si l’allure parait tout à fait plausible, cela ressemble fort à un montage sous Photoshop.
With a design that sticks closely to the Galaxy S4, with an added optical zoom lense, this design has us a little perplexed. Even if its curves are plausible, this looks a lot like a photoshopped manipulation.

Accessories for Galaxy S4

Samsung’s Galaxy S4 has not even gone public –officially, that is– , and yet as expected, is the topic of much debate and rumors that spread across the globe like wildfire. But a smartphone’s success does not lie solely in plentiful features, impressive specs, or striking design. Because even if those are the main assets a manufacturer will want to bestow upon products, one can’t dismiss the importance of accessories.

And while we don’t have all of Galaxy S4′s official technical specs, each day brings to us more details. As we found out on January 22nd about the possible March 22nd unveiling of the Korean manufacturer’s flagship handset, today we are getting confirmation of its first few accessories.

As you would expect, the Flip Cover is making a come-back. You’ll have to switch out the back cover for the new one that comes equipped with a rigid cover that folds snugly over your screen. Your brand new phone’s display will be protected from scratches and other various damage in a classy but understated way.

Of course the usual suspects will also be coming back for round 4, such as the screen protector, a gel shell, a battery kit as well as the essential earbuds. Take note that an HDTV adapter will also come with the phone.

As we mentioned in a previous article, the Galaxy S4 will be wirelessly chargeable, by way of a plate you will lay your phone on (see image below). And this charger plate will be part of the standard kit, making it a standard, solid alternative, rather than an expensive gadget reserved for those with well-endowed wallets.

All that’s left to do now is way for the official introduction of Samsung’s latest in high-end handset to have a full list of its accessories, but it seems that when the terminal is released the standard equipment kit with it will be very complete.

Even more pixels for the Galaxy S4?

When the Galaxy S4 is released, we expect it to be outfitted with the latest octo-core Exynos 5 OCTA CPU and a 4.99″ Full HD screen with a 441ppi pixel density. And yet this last characteristic is not locked down and may still change.

The folks of the Display division over at Samsung are working hard to keep pushing the envelope further with display quality. And while we are expecting the newborn Galaxy to boast a 440ppi density, the South-Korean manufacturer could up the ante even more with an offer of unparalleled quality. At least that’s what the website Digitimes is reporting, as they claim that Samsung is currently testing a new fabrication technique on its AMOLED-branded screens.

Usually, pixels each represent one square “unit” of color, but what the high-tech firm is working on could be a game-changer, as Samsung could very well introduce screens with a diamond or hexagonal layout in order to further increase density and break the 440ppi barrier. The South Korean giant would still use its LITI process (Laser-Induced Thermal Imaging) to manufacture its screens.

Where it gets more interesting is that, still according to Digitimes, the Galaxy S4 could be the first smartphone to feature this evolution, making it the handset boasting the highest pixel density on the market.
However, one can question the real-world value of this evolution as the human eye cannot distinguish pixels beyond 400ppi…

Galaxy S4′s codename is “Altius”

Have you noticed how the Galaxy S3′s successor keeps making the news lately? Today, our fellow Galaxy aficionados over at SamMobile  are the ones keeping the rumor mill spinning. According to them, Samsung has codenamed its GT-i9500 (the exact model name for the GS4) “Altius”. You’ll have noticed that GT-i9400 does not exist. Indeed, they simply skipped the model number as the number 4 is not very popular in Korea, and this is why it’s very possible that the Galaxy S4 won’t actually be called S4.
The folks at SamMobile also reveal that the handset will be out to retail during Week 16, which lines it up for an April release (around the 15th). It is indeed unlikely that Samsung introduces its new flagship at the Mobile World Congress, as the manufacturer will probably organize an event dedicated to the smartphone at a still-unknown date. We also learn that this GT-i9500 will be equipped with a 2600 mAh battery (as a reference the S3 is outfitted with a 2100 mAh juice pack), and that the handset will come in black or white.

Galaxy S4 unveiled on March 22nd ?

Today, we dug up the Galaxy S4 release date and confirmed some technical specs, including wireless charging. But before the Samsung smartphone is available to retail, we will have to wait for its official unveiling.

According to Korean newslet Asiae, Samsung has planned an event on March 22nd, 2013 in the United States. Of course, Samsung is known to keep its product announcements low-key, so it’s only natural this considerably high-key occasion can only be related to the new flagship phone. No location was mentioned for this conference dubbed Mobile Unpacked, and this announcement debunks widely circulated rumors that the Galaxy S4 would be introduced on March 4th in Pyeongchang.

However, a March 22nd unveiling is likely as the handheld  is still slated for an April 15th release. As you may remember the Galaxy S3 was shown on May 3rd last year and became available worldwide  3 to 4 weeks after that.

All that’s left to do now is wait for invitations to this Mobile Unpacked event, which could very well see the official introduction of the Samsung Galaxy S4.

Thailand’s early access to the Galaxy S4

Breaking news! While Samsung’s soon-to-be champion, the Galaxy S4, has not even been announced yet, it’s apparently already on sale in Thailand. Unless…

You can see on this picture, taken in a Thai retail store, an exclusive image of the first Galaxy S4 on sale anywhere in the world. And we would almost be fooled save for the easily-missed typo, as this improbable version of the smartphone features GPRS compatibility only, meaning you can forget about high-speed Internet access with 3G or, more recently, 4g.

It does, however, feature Bluetooth and a quad-core CPU. You can purchase this smartphone for the unbeatable price of 1990 Bahts, which converted under the current exchange rate comes out to around $70. And if you hurry to that store right now, you could even have the chance to own an iPhone 6 (right next to the S4 on the picture) before everyone else. This is clearly a no-brainer.

Seriously though, we recommend vigilance in the coming months, as there is no doubt the number of imitation Galaxy S4 will probably multiply as we get closer to the release, and some people will not hesitate to sell them for astronomical prices.

Benchmark snapshot confirms Galaxy S4 will sport Exynos 5 OCTA chip

After the CES-showcasing of the Exynos 5 OCTA 8-core CPU last week, everyone was wondering whether or not a smartphone would soon make use of it. Today it seems that the Galaxy S4 might be the first one to sport the octo-core ARM chip, and with our taste for blinding-fast performance, this is a treat.

Yet again (it’s becoming a habit), we came across this information about the new Samsung flagship thanks to the AnTuTu benchmark. Hidden behind the cryptic GT-I9500 reference code, we learn of a handset that runs Android 4.2.1 (which we are expecting from the Galaxy S4) and is equipped with a processor clocked at 1.8 GHz.

Quick reminder: the Exynos 5 OCTA processor is equipped with two dual-core chips: the first a Cortex-A15 set to a 1.8GHz pace, and the second, a Cortex-A7 clocked at 1.2GHz. The AnTuTu benchwark will eat up resources in a second, and therefore requires the use of the quad-core chipset running at 1.8GHz, which we see here.

Of course, all this data is also very close to the characteristics of the Exynos 5450 chip. But this CPU is clocked at 2GHz, so all the evidence seems to point to the Exynos 5 making its debut running the show inside the guts of the Galaxy S4. And if that wasn’t enough, the Korean version of the S4, the SHV-E300S, has the same specifications, also running Android 4.2.1 on a 1.8GHz CPU.

All that’s left to do now is wait for official confirmation from Samsung on the presence of the Exynos 5 OCTA aboard the Galaxy S4, but one thing is already sure: the AnTuTu benchmark has us salivating thinking about the possibilities of the next Samsung champion.

Will Samsung outfit two different Galaxy S4 models? The first, running Tizen and equipped with a quad-core Exynos 5450, and the second, running Jelly Bean 4.2.1 on an Exynos 5 OCTA? What do you think? Drop a comment down below and tell us!

Galaxy S4 to come with wireless charging?

While Samsung had promised it would debut with the Galaxy S3, it seems now that wireless charging will be featured with the S3′s successor. The Galaxy S4 will indeed introduce induction-charging to the South Korean manufacturer’s product roster.

After the Nokia Lumia 920 or the LG Nexus 4, it should now be the S4′s turn to sport the innovation, and owners will be able to charge their phone simply by setting it down on a dock charger connected to an outlet. Technically, this is no exploit, as all you need is the adequate charger, which is what the Galaxy S3 was lacking.

According to Korean newslet DDaily, the future flagship of the world leader in Android smartphones will feature wireless charging, and that’s not all. Samsung is allegedly working currently on an improved version of the technology, dubbed “magnetic resonance coupling”. Using this new tech could allow the Galaxy S4 to charge at a distance of up to 6 feet from the dock. This way, no need to physically put the phone on top of the dock for its battery to charge.

Let’s hope that this time around Samsung holds true to its word and doesn’t just play the marketing announcement card. With this wireless charger, the Galaxy S4 would add another trick up an already pretty full sleeve.

Galaxy S4 GPU showdown – PowerVR or Mali ?

Even though rumors lately all seemed to point to Samsung’s Galaxy S4 being equipped with a Mali T-604 GPU, they seem a lot less credible now.

Indeed, those whispers had originated from the fact that the Exynos 5 dual-core CPU (which equips the Nexus 10 tablet) was paired-up with this GPU, however, according to our fellow tech nuts over at Anandtech, the Exynos 5 Octa will be instead paired-up with a PowerVR SGX 544M3 GPU. And we know, that’s quite the mouthful.

But this would be a great leap back to the Galaxy line’s roots, since the Galaxy S first of the name alone was equipped with a PowerVR chip, the S2 and S3 both sporting Mali T-400 graphic processors.

Also note that the PowerVR GPU also equips the Galaxy’s greatest rival: the iPhone. If the information reported by Anandtech is confirmed, then the Galaxy S4 can be expected to perform somewhere in between the iPhone 5 and the latest iPad. This is nonetheless surprising as Samsung has always strived to surpass Apple in the performance department. Saga to be continued then, but we’ll watch out closely for new developments, of course.

The Galaxy S4 might be coming to us in June

Well, this is interesting: an accessory manufacturer is claiming that Samsung’s Galaxy S4, which is carrying the hopes of its high-end product line, might be released around June this year. And while it certainly seems likely, this is announcement is unsanctioned and unconfirmed.

The accessory maker Pelican presented at CES, and on one of its stand banners we could see a short list of well known handsets. And among them…the Galaxy S4!

The company is planning to launch a protective case specially made for Samsung’s next champion in June, which coincides, according to them, with the smartphone’s release. And even if accessory makers tend to be reliable sources, this info must be taken with a grain of salt as Pelican has never been vetted as a bulletproof source.

However, this certainly would coincide with our theory that the Galaxy S4 will be shown on May 4th, with a release lined up for the end of the month or early June.

Samsung Galaxy S4 will boast a 5″ screen with 1080p

As you all know the rumor mill on the Internet spins fast, and sorting through the sheer volume of rumors to find the good stuff sometimes gets tough.

In this type of situation it’s often best to let go a little and rely on official announcements from the manufacturer. And during CES, Samsung did not disappoint. They first introduced the newest in their Exynos line of processors, the Exynos 5 OCTA, and a flexible screen concept. And though the chances to see the Galaxy S4 sporting a flexible display are slim, there is little doubt however that the next Samsung flagship will be equipped with the overnight sensation Exynos 5 OCTA.

Yet Samsung made one last presentation towards the end of the Las Vegas CES, dedicated to displays. The smartphone designer put on a video retrospective of its AMOLED line of screens that debuted in 2010. And as you can see in the image below (snapped during this presentation at CES), a gorgeous 4.99″ screen, sporting Full HD and a 440 pixels-per-inch density will be coming out in the first quarter of 2013.

Since Samsung has a tradition of showcasing the best it has to offer in consumer technology in its flagship Galaxy line, it seems very likely the S4 will feature this spanking new screen. Of course, this is only our opinion and in no way reflects an announcement by Samsung. But stay tuned for the confirmation of this theory in a few months when the Galaxy S4 is unveiled.

Samsung showcase a new 8-core processor!

Since January 7th the Consumer Electronics Show has been in full swing. Today Samsung put on its second conference, and while we were not expecting a lot of innovations in the mobile department (CES tradition), we were treated to a nice surprise.

To much awe, the South Korean high-tech giant unveiled the newest in their Exynos processor line, boasting not four cores as is the current trend, but 8, raising the bar much higher than the nVidia Tegra 4 introduced yesterday.

The CPU dubbed “Exynos 5 OCTA”, is actually composed of 2 4-core clusters. The first is a group of 4 Cortex-A15 cores clocked at 1.8Ghz and will be dedicated to high-performance processing, while the  second brings together 4 less power-hungry Cortex A-7 @ 1.2Ghz. These will take over when the smartphone requires less processing power so as to save energy and optimize battery life. Samsung claims the new Exynos chip posseses twice as much power as what the rest of the industry offers now for 3D processing.

This new chip uses 28nm engraving and Samsung has indicated it will be possible to bring this down to 20, 14 or even 10nm in the future.

This announcement is music to our hears and we can only hope this shiny new toy will be the brain of the Galaxy S4! In any case we’ll know in a few months, so stay tuned.

Samsung adds the GT-I9500X to its product list

For a few weeks now the suspense surrounding the next smartphone in Samsung’s Galaxy line, the S4, has been palpable, and everyday brings more information and rumors.

Today, we discover in the Global Download Centre section of Samsung’s official site (where you can find instruction manuals for all Samsung products), a listing for a product codenamed GT-I9500X. This product appeared in the list of the South-Korean giant’s high-end products.

Samsung blunder or genuine instruction manual? The manufacturer is still keeping things under wraps as the manual is only listed and not available to download, so unfortunately we won’t learn anything new about the handset’s tech specifications yet.

Does this mean the Galaxy S4 will bear the GT-I9500X reference? We think so. And counting the GT-I9400, that makes for two possible references for Samsung’s next hit. Maybe one of them will be used to designate terminales running Android and the other Tizen. We cannot confirm this possibility yet but we’ll keep you updated as rumors and information are confirmed by Samsung.

Gorilla Glass 3 for the Galaxy S4 ?

The question we ask in the title is legitimate, since the previous versions of the notoriously strong glass equipped the Galaxy S2 and S3 respectively. But while were waiting for the confirmation of the Gorilla Glass 3′s presence aboard the Galaxy S4, let’s detail the characteristics of the new offering.

Made by reputed smartphone glass maker Corning, the Gorilla Glass is a material with mechanical characteristics particularly befitting for smartphones everywhere. But while it never ceases to impress, and improves each year, it’s still glass, and therefore, fragile.

However the firm annouced that when compared to GG2  (featured in the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2), the 3rd version of the material will be 40% less sensitive to scratches, and 50% more resistant to bending.

Corning will officially introduce the Gorilla Glass 3 at the Las Vegas CES which opens its doors in 2 days. We’ll then have a clearer idea of what the new product will be capable of. And while it keeps getting more and more resistance, it does not mean the screens that use it will be unbreakable. After all, it’s only still glass.

The Galaxy S4 will be shown on March 4th

Since 2013 has arrived the buzz around the Galaxy S4 has not let up. Yesterday, we published a possible visual of the Galaxy S3′s successor, and this morning, Samsung Lebanon put the word out that the soon-to-be best-seller smartphone would see a May release.

We learned that a Mobile Unpacked event will take place for the Galaxy S4 with a set date. Even though the date seems slightly premature and unexpected, Samsung’s new flagship will be unveiled on March 4th. And the date does hold up to closer scrutiny. It’s certainly credible as the Galaxy S3 had been shown for the first time on May 3rd last year. But this invitation slip holds more information.

This Mobile Unpacked event is slated for March 4th in Peyongchang, South Korea. Located in Gangwon province (North-western part of the country), this city will soon become very famous, as it will be the host for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

Of course all this is still only another Galaxy S4 leak, but March 4th feels a bit early to us, coming only 10 months after the Galaxy S3.

Samsung to feature a Galaxy S4 prototype at CES

CES might not be the event that will see any official presentation of the Galaxy S4, yet it seems the handset will still make an appearance at the show. Don’t get your hopes up though, only a few privileged will be able to get close and sneak a peek at a work-in-progress version. At least that’s what we heard today. Samsung Electronics Vice-President, Jay Lee, will be roaming the halls at the convention which opens on January 8th in Las Vegas.

And the word is, he’ll be carrying a Galaxy S4 prototype.

Of course, this model is not meant for retail but could be shown to Samsung partners and mobile providers.

As we suggested yesterday, the photograph we have might be of the prototype, and might have been made public in order to calm the public craving for leaks and keep the actual design a secret. And we can all remember that the same artifice was used by Samsung before it released the Galaxy S3.

But there may be more to this information than meets the eye. Indeed, Samsung Lebanon as declared on its Facebook page that the Galaxy S4 will be available in May 2013, and it’s likely since the previous Galaxy phones were released in the same month.  However, no details or other information were made public, whether about the technical specification or the details of an official unveiling.

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