Samsung Galaxy S4: What we know so far

Come March 14, the world will see the new Samsung Galaxy S flagship unveiled. One of the most anticipated devices of the year, the Galaxy S4 is expected to bring ultra powerful hardware and a feature-rich software solution in one device. We have heard numerous rumours about the forthcoming smartphone with specs, features and pictures of the device leaking at a regular clip.

This despite the fact that Samsung has tried to keep its newest superphone under wraps until the New York City event. So, what can we expect from the Galaxy S4? Here’s a compendium of the most prominent rumours. We’ll see how many of them come true in less than a week, but until then, we have to make do with the speculation.

Could this be the Galaxy S4?

Display
The display on the Samsung Galaxy S3 is huge, by most standards, and it’s certainly one of the standout features of the phone. But Samsung is set to bump up the size of the display in the Galaxy S4. This time around it is believed to be a 4.99-inch one with full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 and a pixel density of roughly 441 ppi.

Screenshots showing the Antutu benchmark results of the Galaxy S4 (image credit: Androidiani)

There are conflicting rumours about the type of display. Some rumours say Samsung will be ditching Super AMOLED to use a SoLux display panel. Others say the company will be improving the existing AMOLED pixel arrangement to bring a more power-efficient Green PHOLED display. This type of screen is said to be 25 percent less power hungry than a regular Samsung Super AMOLED.

One thing that is not under doubt though is the resolution of the display. Leaked benchmark scores and screenshots reveal it to be a full HD 1920 x 1080 pixel and that would put it on par with the other flagships such as the HTC One and Sony Xperia Z.

Hopefully, a potential change in the type of display does not affect the blacks on the screen. Samsung’s AMOLED displays tend to have excellent contrast due to their very deep blacks, and this is something we want the company to retain. If anything, Samsung should alter its colour calibration to make hues more natural.

Processor
At this moment, we are pretty sure the Galaxy S4 will come with a more powerful processor than its predecessor. However, there are some talks that the company might be forced to employ two different SoCs for different international variants.

May feature the Exynos 5 Octa processor

The first version, possibly the international variant that will ship to most European countries and India, will reportedly feature the Exynos 5 Octa processor, with two quad-core CPUs working in conjunction to alternatively take care of tasks depending on how much power they require. The US version of the phone is rumoured to be carrying the Snapdragon 600 CPU, which is seen in the HTC One and the LG Optimus G Pro.

Software features
With the Galaxy S3, Samsung focussed on the human-centric UI, called Nature UX, running alongside TouchWiz. The company used the front-facing camera to detect users’ eyes and keep the screen awake when reading long articles. It also used the front-facing camera to properly orient the phone when users are lying on their sides.

Screenshots of the Settings showing the Smart Scroll and Smart Pause features

With the S4, Samsung has taken this to the next level. The new flagship will supposedly feature Smart Scroll and Smart Pause, which also leverage the front-facing camera to bring new tricks to the table. Smart Scroll automatically scrolls pages when users reach the end, while Smart Pause pauses videos when the user takes their eyes off the screen.

Besides this, Samsung is reportedly changing the UI of the device and bringing it up to speed with its modern competitors. One screenshot in particular showed the new tabbed interface for the Settings page and the spruced up background of each setting. However, it is not known whether the homescreens will be seeing any changes. We sincerely hope Samsung makes good use of all that full HD goodness of the screen to provide us with more icons and widgets on every screen.

Camera
Samsung is surely going to be upgrading the camera module of the Samsung Galaxy S3 for the new handset. Firstly, the sensor will be upgraded to 13 megapixels from 8 megapixels. However, as we know, megapixels are not the whole indication of the quality of the camera. Samsung is reportedly working on a feature called Orb, which is on the lines of Google’s PhotoSphere. The feature will produce more realistic looking panoramas, adding a 3D-like depth to the pictures.

Is this the wireless charging pad for the S4?

Wireless charging
This one is not a necessity and certainly not something on every fan’s wish-list. However, Samsung could follow every other manufacturer by including wireless charging capability in the phone. Indeed, a Samsung wireless charging pad was seen at the FCC, trying to get clearance for a retail launch. It could be that Samsung Galaxy S4 will be the first Samsung Galaxy S flagship to have this feature.

Of course, there’s a lot more to any phone than these basic specs, but that’s what we know of the S4 through rumours and leaks. We will be bringing you all the coverage from the Galaxy S4 launch, including confirmed specs of the device, on March 14. Until then, let us know what you would like to see in the Galaxy S4.