When the Samsung Galaxy S3 was launched, Samsung proved that it could be a strong contender and challenge Apple’s dominance in the market. However, now with the launch of the newer model, Samsung S4, Samsung has yet again proven that it can push itself beyond its boundary and create a more and more fabulous product. The S4 has been designed to become the best of the best with a long list of innovative features. Read below to find out if the S4 is really worth the hype.
Design & Display
Like its other products, S4’s body is also made of plastic but is distinctly lighter than its predecessor even though it has a larger screen. The screen is wide and thin and offers great display. The polycarbonate shell of the phone may feel dense but looks cheap in terms of material as compared to the HTC One or the iPhone 5. The Galaxy S4 has a removable back which allows one to change the battery easily. There is also a microSD slot which allows users to upgrade up to 64GB of additional storage. The AMOLED screen renders bright colours and sharp images. However, the screen is a little hard to see outdoors unless auto-brightness is disabled.
Operating system and UI
The Galaxy S4 operates on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. Recent applications can be seen by pressing the home button down for a while. There are also about 19 quick settings buttons which can be found under notification, allowing users to toggle everything ranging from WiFi to Smart Scroll. Users can also rearrange these items.
Multitasking
Given the large screen size of the S4, Multi Window Mode works well with Samsung’s TouchWiz interface. If the back button is pressed for a while, a sidebar with a list of Multi Window-compatible apps like Gmail, Google Maps and Facebook are opened. They can be placed on half of the screen so that the applications can run concurrently.
Air View
First introduced on Samsung Galaxy Note II, Samsung’s Air View is also available on the S4. By simply hovering the finger over the screen, the phone will display information previews, speed dial previews, progress previews, and even magnify Web page areas. For instance, thumbnails of emails can be seen when a finger is hovered over a message in inbox.
Smart Scroll and Smart Pause
Smart Scroll and Smart Pause are new additions present in the S4. These features make use of eye tracking and pauses or play video content based on eye movement. Smart Pause works when the entire head is moved away from the video and continues when the focus is back on the screen. Smart Scroll allows users to scroll through webpages by simply tilting head up or down. However, movements have to be very precise for this feature to be accurate.
Camera
The phone comes with a 13-MP rear-facing camera and renders sharp pictures with vivid colours. The camera also produces high quality images when shot indoors. 1080p videos can be shot on the rear camera and also captures details superbly. The phone has a 2.0-megapixel front-facing camera which is also equally stunning. There are many in-built camera features which would otherwise have to be downloaded on other Android phones. For instance, there are various modes like Eraser mode, Best Face Mode, Beauty Shot and so on. Eraser mode allows the user to delete unwanted strangers who appear in your photos. Moving errant portions of the images are deleted so that the best picture is rendered. The Sound & Shot feature records 9 seconds of audio to complement the picture taken. The Dual Camera Mode makes use of both the front and rear cameras.
Here is my first drama shot
Battery life
The phone has a mediocre battery life and when used to its fullest capacity lasts no more than around 5 to 6 hours. However, since the battery is removable, you can always invest in a spare battery and replace it if the current battery is not lasting you through the day.