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Samsung Galaxy S4: A worthy investment?

The Samsung Galaxy S4 only hit the market last month but the Korean manufacturer has confirmed that as of 10 May more than six million units of the new flagship had been sold.

Breaking records set by its multi-million selling predecessor, the Galaxy S III, Samsung has further predicted that the device could smash the 10 million mark by as early as the end of the month.

Following the unveiling of the device back in March some industry experts were quick to criticise the new Samsung Galaxy S4, raising concerns that it looked “too similar” to the Galaxy S III and was overly packed with “gimmicky” features.

However, these latest figures suggest otherwise and it seems Samsung’s risk taking has once again lead to them to creating a device that can meet your every need. Marketing the Galaxy S4 as a “life companion” initially seemed like an over exaggerated attempt to draw in potential consumers, but it certainly seems to have worked.

Adding to what can only be described as instant success the Galaxy S4 has also recently been awarded the prestigious industry title for its sustainable credentials. The award is certified by TCO, a body that evaluates gadgets to see how socially-conscious, environmentally friendly and economical they are. This latest accolade only enhances the appeal of what many industry watchers have called ‘the best Android phone ever’.

So, what is it that makes the Galaxy S4 such an appealing proposition and worthy investment over other high-end mobile phone contracts?

Design

Despite sharing many design elements with the Galaxy S III, the Galaxy S4’s slightly squarer and its polycarbonate casing has been extended by a few extra millimetres. This is to encompass the generous, near edge-to-edge 5-inch full HD super AMOLED display which has a ppi of 441.

Using OLED technology the screen’s performance is fantastic, offering high levels of contrast and impressive depth of detail. So, whether you’re watching your favourite film in 1080p HD or flicking through the image gallery, visuals are crisp and vivid.

The removable rear cover also makes the handset extremely versatile and means that should the large 2,600mAh battery run out of juice a spare one can be inserted in just a few seconds. It also gives users access to a microSD slot which expands the handset’s memory storage to an ample 64GB.

Software

As well as running the latest version of Android Jelly Bean Samsung has also packed in a large helping of innovative new features, which run flawlessly thanks to the 1.9GHz quad-core processor at the heart of the handset powering everything along.

Samsung has carried forward features such as AirView, which first showcased on the Galaxy Note II. It’s a really intuitive feature which allows users to preview content on the display, simply by hovering their finger over the screen.

Then there’s a wealth of new additions that really make the Galaxy S4 stand out from its competitors. These come in the form of Smart Pause, which uses eye tracking technology to detect whether you’re looking at the display, pausing videos automatically when you look away.

A big focus for the firm this time round is S Health, a new suite of apps that can help users in their mission to get fit by tracking their exercise regimes, calorie intake and general well-being, with the help of nine new sensors integrated under the hood. These include a barometer and temperature sensor which will adapt the way S Health works depending on the environment you’re in.

Camera

The 13 megapixel camera, which is also capable of 1080p video capture, is one of the best on the market right now, and while basic images are stunning, even in low-light conditions, an array of shooting modes are also on board to enhance picture quality even further.

Some of these great new features include Drama Shot, which takes several fast-action shots and stitches them together, and Sound and Shot which lets users place audio clips over their images to really bring them to life.

The Korean manufacturer has even taken things one step further with Dual Camera, a function which uses the Galaxy S4’s 2 megapixel front-facing camera and rear lens simultaneously, to provide a picture-in-picture which can then be blended together.

Verdict

Selling millions of smartphones is undoubtedly one of Samsung’s fortes and with a flurry of rave reviews to thank in part for the recent success of its new flagship, there is no doubt that the firm has produced a device that is more than worthy of spending your money on.

Written by Sarah Hazelwood of Dialaphone, a great place to discover all the latest smartphones at affordable prices.

 

 

 

 

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