The new iOS 7 iPhone software not only has a new look, but Apple successfully addresses many long-standing issues.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney)
Your iPhone is about to get a giant makeover: Apple is pushing out iOS 7 to iPhone users on Wednesday.
The new iPhone operating system is the most substantial update in the software's history. Apple not only added new features and functionality, but the company radically reinvented the six-year old operating system's appearance.
For the most part,Apple(AAPL,Fortune 500)succeeded in making iOS easier on the eyes and simpler to use. Apple trimmed the fat where necessary and added some meat to areas that were lacking.
New look:The most noticeable difference in iOS 7 is the design. Gone are the core apps that look like real-life objects. In their place is a far more modern, streamlined, flatter digital aesthetic.
Apple didn't eliminate depth and texture altogether, but it redefined how it uses those effects. For instance, Apple made some menus and features appear translucent, like a frosted sheet of glass. That not only provides a stylish touch, but it produces a layered effect to help visualize how different parts of an app are linked, and how they are separate.
iPhones 5C and 5S good enough for Apple
You'll notice this everywhere from the home screen icons to the design of the lock screen to the screen that shows up when you receive a call. But the way you use those elements is more or less the same as before.
And there are still touches of the old version of iOS throughout the new iOS 7. For example, the Messages app still uses speech bubbles, and the camera app still uses an on-screen shutter button. But the look of those features has been spruced up as well.
There was a time when Apple had to demonstrate how its flat, glass screen could replace many self-contained gadgets people already owned. So everything had a glassy, textured layer applied to it. The calendar had to look like a paper calendar. The compass had to look like something you'd see in a 16th-century Spanish galleon.
Now that the vast majority of us understand our smartphones, Apple has been able to ditch those visual analogs and become truer to its sleek, modern hardware.
New features:Perhaps the most useful addition to iOS 7 is Control Center. It's your metaphorical junk drawer full of settings, media playback controls, and shortcuts to utility apps, like the clock, camera and calculator. You can now also toggle the LED on and off from control center, functioning as a de facto flashlight. And it's easily accessible: just swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
Control Center isn't a revelation: Having quick access to Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth is something that's long been on Android. But it's a welcome addition -- and frankly should have already been added to iOS a long time ago.
Siri's functionality has been expanded some. It can now be used to search for Wikipedia and Twitter. That's nice, but it's still noGoogle(GOOG,Fortune 500)Now, which can tell you to leave home earlier than usual because there's an accident on the freeway.
The new weather app in iOS 7 is more informative than ever, and the App Store can automatically update your apps.
The Photo app has mostly been changed for the better by automatically arranging your photos according to time and place. But the new shared photo streams addition felt incomplete. It allows multiple people to share and comment on photos -- think of it as a remixed version of group MMS. But with so many people already using Apple's iMessage to share photos, it's unclear why people are supposed to use the new feature.
The Notification Center in iOS 7 now has three separate sub-pages, making it feel more bloated and confusing than its previous iteration. For example, if you don't use a calendar, one of the sub-pages is just a completely empty screen.
Question marks:Apple overhauled multitasking in iOS 7, giving apps the ability to fully run in the background. That means apps like Twitter and Facebook will be able to automatically update their feeds without you having to open the app. Apple even promises that iOS 7 will learn which apps you use the most, when you use them, and will make sure they're always updated at that time. But it will be hard to tell how well this feature will work until app makers begin to support it.
Airdrop is Apple's file sharing protocol, allowing iPhone users to share photos, contacts and things like passbook cards with one another. In theory, it is a wonderfully simple way to transfer files. But you can't use it with the Mac version of Airdrop. And the main appeal of Airdrop seems to be photos -- which is confusing since that's what shared photostreams are for. Until there is a critical mass of people running iOS 7, it's hard to gauge how useful Airdrop will be.
Bottom line:Despite a few hiccups in execution, Apple has successfully re-thought iOS for the better.
The biggest achievement of iOS 7 is Apple's willingness to acknowledge that it's immensely successful hardware had gone a bit stale. Apple had the awareness and courage to make some major changes without doing anything so drastic that it risked alienating its user base.
IOS 7 isn't perfect, but it's still as worthy a mobile OS as Google's Android. IOS 7 lays down the foundation for the next five or so years that will allow Apple to keep the iPhone feeling modern and progressive.
The iOS app for this year's March Madness tournament isnow available, giving access to live game audio and video streams for all 67 games in the tournament. [Direct Link]
Unlike last year, when iOS viewers could make a $3.99 in-app purchase to watch all 67 games, for 2013 they are required to authenticate with their pay-tv provider logins before they can watch games that air on TBS, TNT and truTV. Games aired on CBS will not need authentication. However, users will get a four-hour 'preview' window to watch games without authenticating. Live streaming will be available over 3G, 4G, and Wi-Fi.
Mac users will be able to watch all the CBS-broadcast games for free on NCAA.com. Games aired on TBS, TNT and TruTV will be again only be available to authenticated users.
Watch every game with NCAA® March Madness® LIVE on your iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and iPad Mini! Download to follow the tournament bracket, check schedule and scores, fill out your bracket, set game alerts, listen to live game radio, and track social activity around all the games. Log in with your TV provider to enjoy unlimited access to live streaming video of all 67 games of the 2013 NCAA® Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV. A 4 hour live video pass will be available prior to logging in.
Catch all your favorite rivalries, upsets, and buzzer beaters, starting with the Selection Show on March 17th through the Championship game on April 8th. Don’t miss any of the action with live game alerts and notifications for your favorite teams, possible upsets, overtimes, and close games!
AT&T todayunveiledthree new shared data plans aimed at businesses, offering 30GB, 40GB, and 50GB of data, along with unlimited calls and texts.
The plans, which begin at $300, also come alongside new Mobile Share - Data only and Business Pooled Nation for Data plans for business customers.
The new plans make it even easier and more affordable to work or play on the go, whether that be taking mobile payments, controlling inventory, downloading videos, managing fleets, or navigating unfamiliar streets.
For consumers, AT&T's new plans are limited to 10 devices. Businesses can add 15 devices for 30GB plans, 20 devices for 40GB plans, and 25 devices for 50GB plans.
Additional devices, such as iPads and basic phones, can be added for an extra monthly fee, and AT&T also requires the same $30 per smartphone that customers must pay for other data plans. A 50GB plan with 10 smartphones would run approximately $800 per month or $1250 per month for 25 smartphones.
As for Mobile Share - Data, businesses and consumers can now purchase data only plans for tablets and laptops that range from 4GB to 50GB ($30 to $335 per month), and with Business Pooled Nation for Data, businesses in need of more than 25 devices are able to purchase data buckets from 300MB to 10GB.
Previously, AT&T's plans maxed out at 20GB of data for $200 per month.
The analysis shows the new Samsung flagship is significantly faster than competing phones including the HTC One, and its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S3. However, the S3 also benchmarked faster than the iPhone 5.
The Samsung Galaxy S 4 is twice as fast as the Samsung Galaxy S 3. Given that the Samsung Galaxy S 3 is less than a year old, that's a remarkable achievement. I am amazed at how quickly smartphone technology is improving.
The Samsung Galaxy S 4 is also twice as fast as the Apple iPhone 5. Apple has improved performance dramatically in the past (there was 2.5x increase in performance from the iPhone 4S to the iPhone 5). Will they be able to make a similar improvement for the next iPhone?
Though the iPhone does benchmark somewhat slower than its competitors, Apple's close integration of software and hardware leads to significant performance gains that Android phones can't easily replicate.
With the Samsung Galaxy S4 now unveiled and getting ready to be shipped next month, the rival companies are trying a counterattack by launching rumors about devices that might be strong competitors for the South Korean latest flagship smartphone. Most of the rumors are involving the mysterious Motorola X Phone, which is reportedly going to be available as a customizable device. However, the X Phone is not the only rumored phone that will come carrying the Google brand, because it turns out that the Nexus 5 will also be launched in the near future.
So, the story goes like this: tech website Android and Me has received a leaked photo from an anonymous source that is allegedly featuring the new LG Nexus 5. It seems that the new smartphone has the codename LG Megalodon and it includes some very impressive specs, that seems way to good to be true.
Anyway, according to the mentioned publication, the Google Nexus 5 will sport a 5.2-inch OLED screen with a pixel resolution of 1920 x 1080. The phablet-like handset will be powered by the best Qualcomm-made processor namely the Snapdragon 800 clocked at 2.3 Ghz. The Nexus 5 will be available in three distinct variants depending on the amount of on-board storage namely the 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. It will also come with a more than impressive 16 MP primary camera which it seems to be capable to record full HD video at 60FPS and that will feature optical image stabilization, BSI 2.0 and Real Time HDR & HDR video recording.
The Nexus 5 will also include 3 GB of LPDDR3 RAM and a secondary shooter located in the front that will have 2.1 megapixels and will be able to record 1080p video. The battery of the LG Nexus 5 is going to be outstanding as well, being a 3300 mAh one. In terms of connectivity, the smartphone will come with the new Qualcomm RF360 (LTE 150 Mbps & HSPA+) and an integrated DVB_T / ATSC-antenna. Among other features, the Nexus 5 will also include front located stereo speakers and Gesture like controls (navigation, zoom).
The report doesn’t say what iteration of Android OS will the Nexus 5 run, but we expect that the new Google flagship to come running Android 5.0 Key Like Pie right out of the box.
If the Nexus 5 does come out in this form, it will be the most spectacular smartphone on the market, but since the rumor can’t be verified in any way, this probably is a fake leak. Yes, these specs are dreamy at all levels and they represent what any user would want on its smartphone, but the thing is that some of the hardware pieces aren’t included in none of the existing devices. Other are expected to ship in the second half of the year. For instance, Qualcomm has stated that its best CPU, the Snapdragon 800, will be boasted by a smartphone sometime before the end of 2013, as well as the RFf360.
Even though the reports is most likely cooked, it’s worth mentioning it because some of the specs might actually be a part of the next Nexus phone. And a so-called Nexus 5 is probably going to exist as the partnership between LG and Google has been a very successful one in spite of the problematic launch of the Nexus 4. So, why not go forward with something that was very appealing to the public?
The conclusion is even if today’s news is fake, this doesn’t mean that we won’t see the Nexus 5 soon. With the Google I/O event being held in May, when the internet giant is expected to reveal the new Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie, I don’t see why the company wouldn’t launch a new smartphone as well.
There have been plenty of rumors saying that there is friction between Google and Samsung because of the Korean’s company having more and more influence in the Android world. If indeed has a problem with Samsung, it surely the next move would be to come up with a device that could stop the Galaxy S4 hysteria. The only question is whether the company will launch the Nexus 5 or the Xphone.
If more rumors concerning either of the phones appear, we will immediately let you know.
If you're looking for Samsung's new Galaxy S4 to define a novel new era of smartphone greatness, it's time to temper your expectations. The brand-new flagship smartphone, which runs the latest Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, improves hardware significantly and it piles on the features. Compared with the extremely successful Galaxy S3 that came before, it's a firm stride forward rather than a giant a leap, but it raises the bar again for Samsung's competitors. And by super-sizing the screen and packing in so much specialized software, the GS4 sets itself even farther apart from the iPhone.
The Galaxy S4 handset steadily draws from the same design language as the S3, but takes almost every spec to an extreme -- the screen is larger (5 inches), the resolution greater (1080p), the battery capacity higher (2,600mAh), the processor faster (1.9GHz quad-core or 1.6GHz octa-core), and the rear-facing camera stuffed with more megapixels (13, to be exact). But, once you've gone through the features checklist (which also includes lots of internal and external storage space and RAM), it's the software extras that Samsung continues to lean on to keep its phones one step ahead of the competition.
The problem is, based on my brief time with the Galaxy S4, very few of the extensive list of enhancements stood out as a killer, must-have, cannot-possibly-live-without feature. The TV control app that works with the IR blaster is perhaps one exception (the HTC One has this, too), as are a handy translation tool and eye-tracking and gesture capabilities that allow you to pause a video when you stop paying attention and let you hover your finger over an item to preview what it is. Many other software additions are semi-interesting ideas that some power users may enjoy once they've figured them out, but which will hardly convince a prospective buyer to pick the GS4 over, for instance, the HTC One, Nokia Lumia 920, or iPhone 5.
After using the device at a briefing (along with several other journalists), I do think that Samsung has accomplished what it's set out to do in pushing its Galaxy brand forward. Fans will find a familiar, appealing smartphone that's packed with hardware and software features -- albeit more than one person would ever use.
Design and build
At first glance, the Samsung Galaxy S4 looks like a cookie-cutter copy of the GS3, but larger. It has the same rounded edges and narrow physical home button as its predecessor, but at 7.9mm deep (0.31 inch) and 130g (4.6 ounces), it's also a little lighter and thinner. Part of the slim look and feel is a result of Samsung creating sharper, straighter lines with the phone than the GS3's subtle curves (the Galaxy line is apparently inspired by nature no more).
Samsung's new Galaxy S4 features a 5-inch 1080p HD screen and a slightly slimmer, lighter build than its antecedent.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
Standing at 136.6mm tall by 68.9mm wide (5.4 inches by 2.7 inches), the Galaxy S4 fits right in between the GS3 and the Galaxy Note phones. It's large, to be sure -- very large -- but since I've grown used to holding big handsets, it didn't feel overwhelming in my hands. A more dimpled finish on the white version I held reminded me of the Galaxy S2, in contrast to the GS3's silky brushed feel. The GS4 also comes in "Black Mist."
While visually appealing, I've never seen a Samsung phone that wows me with its finely crafted build quality or materials. The GS4 doesn't reach the same caliber as the beautiful, all-metal HTC One, nor is it as polished as the iPhone 5. To be fair, that isn't Samsung's goal; after all, Samsung has stuck by plastic for a few good reasons, including durability (it won't smash like glass), manufacturing benefits, and price.
As the rumors and leaks foretold, the GS4 has a 5-inch HD Super AMOLED display with a 1,920x1,080-pixel screen resolution. While it isn't exactly edge-to-edge, the smaller bezel makes the screen feel more expansive. At full brightness, the display's 441ppi pixel density looked rich and crisp, but I'll need to compare it with the BlackBerry Z10, iPhone 5, and others to really get a lock on just how sharp it is. Also, like you'd find in Nokia's Lumia line, the GS4 uses a highly sensitive screen that lets you navigate with long fingernails or even gloves (a must for cold-weather climates.)
Above the display you'll find the usual array of sensors and the 2-megapixel front-facing camera lens. There's no front-facing flash on the GS4 as I would have liked, but that was mostly wishful thinking anyway. Below the screen, you'll find the solitary physical home button, flanked by capacitive menu and back buttons. On the top of the phone is where you'll find the IR blaster, which shoots out infrared light to control your TV directly from the handset.
What I really like about this blaster, other than the accompanying app, is that Samsung promises it works for all televisions, not just Samsung TVs. The app will let you control channels and volume, and also play on-demand content through a partner.
Beneath the back panel sits a 2,600mAh battery and a microSD card slot capable of up to 64GB in expandable storage.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
On the back, there's the 13-megapixel camera, a jump up from the GS3's 8-megapixel lens. Even though the number of megapixels isn't everything, Samsung has had a good track record with images so far. The shooter has an LED flash and records 1080p HD video.
Beneath the back cover, you'll find a microSD card slot that can store up to 64GB in external memory, to go along with the 64GB internal storage. There's also a 2,600mAh battery.
OS and apps
The Galaxy S4 runs none other than Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, the most up-to-date version of Android you can get right now. Riding on top of it as usual is Samsung's Touch Wiz overlay, a customized interface that I, for one, think is getting a little long in the tooth. Also, keep in mind that the next Android OS, Key Lime Pie, should appear when Google I/O opens on May 15. That's not far away, so I hope that Samsung and the carriers fast-track the Galaxy S4 for an upgrade.
However, Samsung does use TouchWiz to add a bevy of software enhancements, like gestures, and a beefier notifications tray that offers a ton more toggling options to quickly turn settings on and off. In addition to your usual toggles for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS, you'll also see toggles for call-blocking mode and eye-tracking gestures.
A tiny IR blaster on top turns your GS4 into a remote to control your TV.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
To Samsung's credit, several functional tools carry over from the Galaxy Note 2, including the multiview mode that lets you split the screen to interact with two apps, say the browser and notes.
Once again attempting to out-Google Google, Samsung introduces the S Translator tool, embedding it into e-mail, the ChatOn messenger app, and letting it stand as its own tool. Speaking of ChatOn, the Samsung-built chat app adds three-way video calling, screen-sharing, and video calls that make use of both cameras.
I also like the idea of another new collaborative feature, Group Play. As with some of the GS3's photo-sharing features, this one rewards GS4 owners by letting them connect (via NFC or Bluetooth) to other Galaxy S4 devices to share music, photos, documents, and even engage in multiplayer games. For the music aspect, envision a whole room full of people playing the same song from their phones: instant surround sound!
As for Group Play games, Gun Bros 2 and Asphalt 7 have been specifically adapted for the GS4. Samsung will release an SDK for other game developers to jump on board with simultaneous, social game play. Good idea? Sure. But without knowing how practical it is to set up and use, the jury is still out.
The Galaxy S4 interface includes a more extensive set of toggle controls in the drop-down menu.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
Although I didn't get a chance to try this next feature during my briefing, I like the idea of an integrated optical reader that can scan QR codes, turn business cards into text, and translate with S Translator. Nothing here is new to smartphones, and OCR (optical character recognition) doesn't always work, but it's good to see this sort of behavior brought to the surface.
Now, when Samsung spots a trend, it pounces. Thus the birth of S Health, a calorie-counter/pedometer in one that uses phone sensors like the accelerometer and barometer to track your steps, jogs, hops, jolts, snacks, and perspiration. Combined with one of its new Samsung-branded fitness wrist bands, Samsung is attempting to replace specialized third-party apps that do these functions already.
The problematic S Voice assistant and S Memo note apps are returning programs, along with settings that automatically adjust screen brightness based on the app you're in. Samsung presents this as a benefit to you, making reading or viewing more comfortable. In the GS3, a dimmer browser window threw me off, and made me think that the screen brightness was severely limited. I assume that, as with the GS3, the GS4 will let you adjust your preferences in various settings menus. The GS4 does the same for audio.
Samsung also announced a new feature for the S4 called Galaxy S Voice Drive. Designed for in-car use, the voice command feature will let drivers use the handset's built-in navigation system as well as make calls, send messages, and check the weather. I didn't have the opportunity to test the feature in a Manhattan hotel conference room, but Samsung says that Voice Drive will start when you get into your car.
Eye-tracking software keeps tabs on where you're looking.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
Eye-tracking gestures
Conflicting rumors painted a scenario where you'd scroll the screen with your eyes using eye-tracking software within the GS4.
Turns out, that's somewhat true. Smart Pause and Smart Scroll are two features that build off the Galaxy S3's optional Smart Stay feature, which kept the screen from dimming when you looked at it. In the GS4, tilting the screen up or down while looking at it scrolls you up or down, say if you're reading a CNET story, of course. As a daily commuter with one hand on the phone and one on a hand strap, this could be a more convenient way to catch up with news while on the train or bus.
I really like the idea of Smart Pause, which halts a video you're watching when your eyes dart away, then resumes when you start paying attention again.
Both features worked better in theory than they did in practice, though I should mention that the GS4 I was looking at is (obviously) preproduction running prefinal software. Still, response time was a beat slower than I wanted, taking a little time to pause and resume the video, and scroll the screen. A minor delay makes sense. You wouldn't want to start and stop again every time you're distracted for a second. Instead, the software seems to track longer periods when you're away, like if you stop what you're doing to order a cup of coffee, talk to a friend, or climb a set of stairs. Air View and gestures
While you can make googly eyes at the GS4, most gestures are still reserved for your fingertips. Hovering features known as Air View make their way from the stylus-centric Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet to the Galaxy S4, but replace the stylus with your digit.
You can control the Galaxy S4 by waving your hand in front of the camera sensor.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
Hover your finger and you can preview a video clip or image from the photo gallery, glance at browser tab thumbnails, find your place on a video timeline, and check out an e-mail. You'll also be able to magnify calendar events and get a closer look in speed dial. Flipboard has built a customized app to work with Air View, which lets you hover over a tile to see which articles lie beneath.
In addition to hovering with a fingertip, you can wave or wipe your whole hand in front of the screen (and camera sensor) to navigate around. For example, enable this gesture and you can agitate your palm to pick up the phone or switch songs in a playlist. Steadily sliding your hand back and forth can advance photos in a gallery, or browser tabs. You can also scroll up and down in a list.
The feature was a little jerky and jumpy when I tried it, but it did work. As with eye-tracking, you'll have to wait a half-second to see results. Cameras and video
If the promise of the GS4's 13-megapixel images doesn't wow you, Samsung is hoping that its refreshed interface and enhanced features will. Perhaps the most out-there is the dual-shot mode, which takes photos and video from both the front- and rear-facing cameras, and combines them into one.
The background shows the capture from your main camera, while the foreground -- whatever you take from the front-facing camera -- lays on top. You can choose to change the window size and shape on top, say a postcard stamp, an oval, or a simple window. You can also swap camera positions so that rear-facing gives you the inset and the front-facing image forms the background. As to why, the answer, like some of Samsung's many features, is more correctly: why not?
The camera interface takes full advantage of the GS4's display.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
Even more new modes include Sound & Shot, which takes a picture and captures up to 9 seconds of audio (sounds like HTC's Zoe mode to me), and Drama Shot, which combines all the actions from a burst shot into a single frame. If someone is jumping, for instance, you see all stages of the leap in one shot (P.S. HTC has this, too in the One.)
Then there's Cinema Photo, which lets you animate just one portion of a video and keep the rest static (it creates a GIF), and Eraser mode, which can erase an unwanted person from a shot. The Samsung team and I tried this out five or six times on the demo device I got to hold, but it didn't work; chalk it up to a prerelease software bug.
You'll also find Story Album, which gathers friends into a single photo album. Integration with Trip Advisor lets you add more location-based detail, and you can print any album through self-publishing platform Blurb.
The GS4's new dual-shot mode combines photo and videos from the front-facing camera and rear camera into one frame.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
Performance
While the Galaxy S4 will look the same everywhere in the world, it won't necessarily have the same motor under the hood. Your future GS4 handset will either thrum from a 1.9GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon Fusion Pro processor, or from a 1.6GHz eight-core chipset, Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa silicon.
We'll need to set the two bad boys side by side in the lab to see real-time performance differences, but in the meantime, the Octa-curious can get a load of CNET editor Eric Franklin's Octa 5 benchmarks from Mobile World Congress.
Data speed freaks can rest assured that the Galaxy S4 will support LTE in expected markets (these haven't yet been announced), and LTE roaming will be possible for some geographies (very nice).
As for battery life, the phone has a large, 2,600mAh ticker, but also a larger screen and even more features to compromise performance. Smart Stay and S Voice both drain the battery more quickly, which just means that, as always, potential buyers should adjust their expectations. The more video and games you play, the shorter your life per battery charge. (Read more on battery life here.)
In terms of storage and memory, the Galaxy S4 has 2GB RAM, 64GB internal storage, and another 64GB available through the microSD car slot. In today's market, you can't get more than that. Pricing and availability
If this phone sounds like something you want to get your hands on, you won't have to wait too long. Samsung plans to stagger releases worldwide in April and May. In the U.S., Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Cricket Wireless will all get the Galaxy S4 (along with Sprint MVNO Ting). Samsung hasn't yet shared plans for other countries.
Samsung also hasn't shared pricing yet, since it differs by region and by carrier, but you can expect comparable pricing structures to what you saw in your area for the GS3.
A more sensitive screen means you'll be able to use gloves when operating your phone.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
What's missing?
While the Galaxy S4 hits expectations square on the head, there are still a few small areas that competitors can crow about. As I mentioned, premium build materials are one. After my briefing, it also isn't exactly clear where the Galaxy S4 comes down on wireless charging. When asked, a Samsung representative said that the presence of wireless charging "depends on market requirements," which I read as a soft "yes." This strikes me as a strange feature to skip mentioning, especially since we know that you can rig a Galaxy S3 to wirelessly charge. How it compares with the competition
The Galaxy S4 is a high-end, fully featured smartphone that's meant for almost everyone. Samsung has made sure to include every salient hardware spec and enough new and interesting software features to hold your attention, if not constant use.
Although the handset's hardware isn't exceptionally beautiful and software isn't particularly inspiring, it has every essential feature and then some. Right now, the best way I can describe it is as the Gap clothing of smartphones. While you may not use or even like every item on display, it's long on basics, represents a certain high standard, and you'll be able to get it anywhere.
Stay tuned for many more details, impressions, photos, and videos in the upcoming hours, weeks, and months.
Samsung will unveil a Galaxy S 4 Thursday, March 14, during an evening event at New York City's Radio City Music Hall. While rival Apple's strategy has been to acknowledge nothing until an executive is standing on a stage ready to hold up something, Samsung has instead been trying to walk a line between revealing and concealing.
It's not an easy line to walk, when seemingly highly guarded secrets continue to leak out.
On March 12 @SamsungMobileUS Tweeted an almost entirely dark image that showed one corner of the rounded-edged Galaxy S 4 in silhouette. The company asked, "Who's ready for the Global Unpacked Event on March 14?"
From the little one can tell, the Galaxy S 4 will bear a strong resemblance to the Galaxy S 3—a suggestion also made by photos posted this week to Chinese user forum 52 Samsung and said to be the Galaxy S 4. The photos show a phone generally shaped like the S III, though larger, and with a pattern or perhaps texture in the back paint.
An odd disconnect—Samsung used Roman numerals with the S III, but in advertisements in conspicuous areas of New York, London and beyond, it's been using a 4. Also odd—a series of videos featuring a rather wanting child actor as the keeper of a box said to contain Samsung's (sunshine-bright) next big thing.
A March 3 leak from an Android developer suggested the S 4 will feature a 5-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080p HD, run Android 4.2, known as "Jelly Bean," have an 8-core processor, up to 64GB of storage, 2GB of RAM and a 13-megapixel camera.
Three days later, Boy Genius Report posted screenshots from GSM Israel and SamMobile, said to be from the Galaxy S 4. They detail features including Smart Scroll, which, by watching the user's eyes, automatically scrolls the display when a user gets to the bottom of the screen. It's an advancement on the technology in the Galaxy S III that prevents the screen from dimming, when the phone knows the user is reading.
"The screen will start to scroll automatically if the device detects that you are looking at the screen," explains the screenshot in the image.
The latest leak is that the Galaxy S 4 will feature a 3D camera.
Samsung filed a trademark request March 5 that hints at a 3D feature, Patently Apple reported March 11. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a Samsung-filed logo, in its online paperwork, that shows a 2D-to-3D "Movie & Still" logo that matches the "Unpacked" branding—a three-dimensional white box with two sides showing—that Samsung has used to promote the Galaxy S 4's unveiling.
Research firm Strategy Analytics says that it's also expecting the next Galaxy to have better touch capabilities, a better battery, "jazzier maps," more Hubs, such as a Reader's Hub, and iPhone-like pricing.
Regardless of what's being revealed, concealed or leaked, what's for certain is that Samsung needs the S 4 to continue the momentum created by the S III.
Samsung introduced the S III last May, and enjoyed an entire summer of sales without a new iPhone to slow it down. Analysts have suggested that Apple has smartened up, and will introduce its next iPhone much earlier in the year than its last. Though clearly Samsung, too, has adjusted its timeline.
During the third quarter of 2012, the Galaxy S III unseated the iPhone and became the world's top-selling smartphone. It was a short-lived accolade—the iPhone 5 look the title during the fourth quarter—but a very telling one.
The most important thing for Samsung to do now is "not to do or say anything 'bad,'" Strategy Analytics Executive Director Neil Mawston wrote in a March 12 blog post. "Apple lost heartshare when it mislaunched Maps alongside the iPhone 5 last year. Samsung must not replicate Apple's strategic misstep."
Sony finally revealed its plans for the PlayStation 4 next-generation console at New York’s Manhattan Centre in February. While we’ve yet to see the actually console itself, we are now privy to a host of spec details, launch titles, and some info on the new controller.
Sony PS4 – specs
On stage at the launch event, Sony group CEO Andrew House described the PS4 as the “foundation of our next generation platform” – claiming that the console will give players “experiences that surpass [their] wildest expectations. It’s also been described as “like a PC, only supercharged”.
That all sounds lovely – but what about some cold hard specs?
Built-in hard disk drive (Sony didn't specify how big the hard drive will be)
6X Blu-Ray Drive, 8X DVD
USB 3 and Auxiliary ports (Sony didn't specify how many ports)
Gigabit Ethernet port, 802.11 B/G/N built-in WiFi, and Bluetooth 2.1
HDMI, Analog-AV, and digital optical outputs
Industry analysts say that they don’t expect to see one until the E3 gaming expo this June.
Doom creator and PC gaming wizard John Carmack said: "I can't speak freely about PS4, but now that some specs have been made public, I can say that Sony made wise engineering choices.” So there you go.
Sony PS4 – controller
The only piece of kit that was on show was the new PS4 controller – which features a touchpad interface where the Start and Select buttons previously appeared and a 3D tracking light panel.
The main addition to the controller is the ‘Share’ button, which lets you record, edit and upload gaming footage and share it online with their friends.
‘Second screen’ is a term getting banded about gaming types a lot at the moment. The PS4’s answer: The PS Vita will double as an extra interface for the console, as will your iOS or Android-powered smartphone.
Sony PS4 – social gaming
A lot of the PS4’s ethos is around the ‘connected generation’ – those that are rarely off Facebook, Twitter and the like.
The PS4 wants to give you social media through a gaming filter – by letting you watch friends games in progress, offer tips and recommendations and even take control of their game, like an IT guy remotely fixing your PC.
The new look PSN page even looks a bit Facebook.
The now Sony owned cloud gaming operation Gaikai also ties into this, offering streaming demos.
You’ll also be able to play each PS4 title through digital download or cloud streaming. How much strain that would put on Gaikai’s server firms – let alone how good the service would be on the UK’s less that world class internet connections, remains to be seen.
Sony PS4 – release date
The PS4 is slated for release this December. We expect to see more info, and a glimpse at the console itself, at E3 in June.
Sony PS4 – games
There are ten games so far confirmed for the PS4.
DriveClub
Stunning looking tem-based racer which will tap into the PS4’s huge social gaming push – in teams you can have a go at challenges and reap rewards.
Watch dogs
Ambitious, open world futuristic hack-em-up type affair – make security cameras work for you and tap into other people’s bank account for cash. We’re sure they’ll be some shooting too, mind.
Deep Down
This looks a bit like Resident Evil, but with medieval knights and dragons instead of badly translated dialogue and ghouls. Deep Down is a working title, we expect something more fantasy genre friendly to make the final cut.
Destiny
This ‘shared-world shooter’ will be heavy on the co-op – sort of a cross between Halo and Elder Scrolls. It’s got an ambitious sci-fi setting and eye-rubbing levels of gorgeous graphics.
Killzone: Shadow Fall
Lots of futuristic gun battles and a cold-war type setting – probably not dissimilar to Gears of War when it comes to gameplay.
The Witness
One for the more cerebral gamer – this is a sort of puzzle game set in in a Myst type island setting. 25 hours of gameplay promised.
Knack
Robot tank things smash up the world in what is being held up a good vehicle for the PS4’s graphics – with independently mioving particles, etc.
Infamous: Second Son
Super heroes in an ordinary world affair – expect more 1984-esque ‘Big Brother is watching you’ sentiments when it comes to the plot.
Diablo 3
Blizzard returns to consoles with an optimised version of the PC dungeon-crawler. Four-player co-op mode on full screen, if you so fancy.
Final Fantasy
All we know really is that there will be a PS4 title to show. Expect a big reveal of the long running RPG series in June.
PS4 - Backwards compatibility
When the PS3 was first released it allowed you to ditch that PS2, but keep playing classics like Gran Turismo 3 and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on your new console. However as the PS3 slimmed down, it lost that feature.
There will be backwards compatibility with the PS4, but not in the way you might expect. Old PlayStation games will be available to download digitally – but you’ll presumably have to pay for them again.
PS4 - 4K resolution
The Playstation 3 was one of the devices which brought Blu-Ray to prominence and its successor could again be the pioneer, this time being the first console to offer 4K resolution capabilities. 4K refers to the resolution of 3840 × 2160, a massive step up from the current console which outputs at 1920 × 1080. While 4K TV’s are rare (Probably because of their outstanding price tags) inclusion in the PS4 could definitely bring it into the public eye
Samsung's stock just keeps rising, so the fervour associated with the new Galaxy S4 is already outstripping that of the Galaxy S2 and Galaxy S3, both of which nabbed 'phone of the year' titles in recent times.
If you needed a barometer of this, just look at how the Galaxy S3 was unveiled. Not at MWC like lots of others, but its own event, proving the Galaxy line has reached the level where it can guarantee hoards will come just for an unveiling - and come 14 March in New York, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is going to land at its own event too.
The Galaxy S4 name was even 'confirmed' at a recent event by a researcher, and now we even have this lovely video that sets the scene for the launch in New York:
The trickle of 'sources' talking about the Galaxy SIV (if you're being all Roman numeral about it) is building to a roaring crescendo, so we're on hand to help let you know which whispers have a notion of truth about them - as well as providing our wishlist of what we want Samsung to improve on the new handset.
Samsung Galaxy S4 release date
The Unpacked event, which is expected to bring the announcement of the S4, has been set for March 14 2013, in New York and for 7pm EST (sadly for the UK, this means it will be 11PM before you can see what's going on). And if you're in New York then, head on down to Times Square, as Samsung will be live streaming the event and may even have some stuff to play with as well.
However, possibly in retaliation to the HTC One buzz that Samsung predicted might pop up, the launch is earlier than last year, which means some S3 owners might feel aggrieved that Samsung is already making their handset outdated.
But it does catch the old Galaxy S2 owners nicely as they come to the end of their contract cycles, so Samsung could be playing an ace (no, not that one) by launching now.
Since then another rumour, of a phone dubbed 'Project J', has emerged, and that's set for an April unveil... will this be something different? An S4 mini?
Some sources believe the phone won't actually go on sale until May due to component shortages, and itwill likely be given the model number of GT-I9500, which is leap from GT-I9300 but has been confirmed as likely legit when showing up in firmware versions, as well as on Samsung's official software page.
Other sources, apparently Samsung's Korean execs themselves, have stated the S4 will even come with an S Pen accessory, but this seems unlikely given it's only currently used on the Note range, so a boring C Pen upgrade could be all that's on the cards - then again, Samsung has just whacked $58.9 million (UK£37 million, AU$56.4 million) in Wacom, the digital pen people's, pocket as it invests in the tech, so it could come to the S4 quite feasibly.
An all-new screen
The Galaxy S2 had an amazing Super AMOLED Plus display – and boy, was it vibrant. The S3 upped the screen size from 4.3-inches to 4.8-inches and the pixel density went from 217 to 306 to take a run at the iPhone's Retina Display.
But, Samsung also opted for a PenTile approach, to the chagrin of geeks. What does that mean for the end user?
Well, the screen looks great but you can make out pixels if you really, really strain. And some of the vivacity and colour saturation is lost. On the plus side, Samsung reckons the screen will last longer – but we'd rather see a much more S2-like screen with a sharper resolution - and given that's now appeared on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, we're pretty hopeful we'll get it on the Samsung Galaxy S4 too.
On top of that, we're now hearing that a new technology will be employed by Samsung in the shape of green-PHOLED materials, using a newer technology that improves the efficiency of the screen by managing to turn more of the energy into light at the display level. It wouldn't be used for every colour of the screen, so there's still room for more energy efficient screens in the future.
There were rumours that Samsung is going to bring a flexible screen to the Galaxy S4 - but given the Korean brand is already pushing the delivery of such tech back into 2013 for its customers, we'll be in Galaxy S5 territory before that happens.
There seems a much more likely option in the shape of the 5-inch 1080p screen that could offer up an eye-splitting 441ppi, making it easily the highest res out there. It would probably need to be shrunk down a smidge to fit into the palm, or Samsung could actually just make the phone even closer to the edges of the screen. Dare we dream of an edge-to-edge display like on the 9000 series TVs? Image credit: Anandtech
That dream could be closer to reality after the pretty likely screen for the Samsung Galaxy S4 was shown off by Samsung Display at CES 2013, featuring a 4.99-inch screen with a Full HD pixel count and a dizzying 440PPI resolution, which is set to ship in Q1 2013... also known as the perfect time frame for manufacturing the S4.
Another report has suggested the Galaxy S4 will sport a full HD display with a leaked PDF document suggesting the handset will have a 5-inch screen with a 1920x1080 resolution.
And on top of that, here's the good stuff: whatever the resolution or size of the screen on the Galaxy S4, rumours suggest that you'll be able to control it with your eyes. Yes you read that correctly, your eyes!
Screenshots apparently showing the various settings for the eye tracking tech have also popped up online - but we fear battery life may take a hit. This was later proven to be the Samsung Galaxy S3; new screenshots then appeared, but thanks to an eagle-eyed TechRadar reader, these could also be faked, as a display with 1080 x 1920 pixels would need to be 4.6 inches across to achieve the claimed PPI.
This would mean that not only would the S4 not have the expected 4.99-inch display, it would have to be smaller than the Galaxy S3... and come on, that's not likely at all. Are these the real deal? Credit: SamMobile
What is interesting is Samsung looks like it might be using its Air View, currently a technology employed for previewing things on the Galaxy Note 2 by hovering the S Pen over a date in the calendar or picture album, and offer it using your finger instead on the Galaxy S4.
It would be another new innovation and Samsung is really keen to make its phone stand out from the rest given there's nothing new about a full HD 5-inch screen in a smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy S4 specs
As expected, the rumour mill is now in overdrive about possible Galaxy S4 specifications, and while we've got nothing concrete, often the repeated claims hold the most water.
The first is that the S4 will have a quad-core chip, which might sound a little 'last gen' to many. However, it will be based on ARM's A15 architecture, bringing with it a big boost in power for all those resource-intensive tasks we love to do all the time.
A quad-core processor looks likely after the new Exynos 5440 quad-core chip appeared on Samsung's site, making it a strong contender to feature in the Galaxy S4 - and according to a benchmark result claiming to be for the American varient of the Galaxy S4 (the SCH-I545) the quad-core processor will be clocked at a beefy 1.9GHz.
But then again, that's not Samsung's way really, is it? We want to see bigger, bangier and faster, so doubling it again to an OCTO-core would be the way to go, with the Exynos Octa was announced at CES 2013 complete with four big cores and four smaller ones, as part of ARM's big.LITTLE architecture. Eight cores. Mental.
Rather than just making it super powerful though, the eight core innards would split into two groups: A15-spec chips for the big stuff, and A7 when things need to get a little lower power, bringing with it the best of both worlds. This theory has been backed up by a recent Antutu profile for a phone claiming to be the Galaxy S4, with a 1.8GHz octo-core atop 2GB of RAM and up to 32GB of onboard memory. More support for the eight-core model materialised in the form on benchmark results claiming to be for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S4, saying it will sport a 1.8GHz Octa processor which will run Android 4.2.1.
The other big news that we think should be on our wish list is the fact that Samsung's internal storage bods have been hard at work bringing the flash memory down in size and up in speed... so think even thinner phones with higher capacity that can be written to up to 10x faster. We're now looking forward to the S4 even more now.
Other benchmarks have since surfaced that show, that show it whizzing past the original S3 and Nokia Lumia 920... although intriguingly it didn't manage to usurp the Google Nexus 4. New benchmarks have changed that theory though, and while they can be very easily faked, it could very well be Samsung optimising the power of the Galaxy S4 ahead of time.
The Galaxy SIV could follow in the footsteps of the Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 as it brings wireless charging to the table. The Galaxy S3 also apparently has this, but it's never been properly realised - and further 'insiders' have stated that the Galaxy S4 is deffo coming with some Qi - the wireless charging standard, not Asian manifestations of life force.
Also Samsung's S Health app could well make its way onto the Galaxy S4, allowing you to monitor things such as blood pressure, blood sugar, BMI and weight with the aid of a separate pad.
It's already made an appearance on the Galaxy S3, but Samsung didn't make a big deal about it last year - expect the hype to be bigger this time round.
And let's not forget about NFC - this is key to the Korean firm's plans in the future, so will definitely be embedded within the S4. A recent global deal between Samsung and Visa also hints at payWave, the contactless payment app from the financial superpower, being installed on the Galaxy S4, making it an even more powerful handset.
Combine that with the new Samsung Wallet application for cards, loyalty, plane tickets and such and you can see that Samsung is looking to take even more things from your pocket (as in your wallet as well as your cash. To buy the phone. Was that joke not clear? Dammit).
Will it run Jelly Bean 4.1 or 4.2?
What's the good word here? Well, given the time scales involved, we'd fully expect to see the Galaxy S4 running a more mature version of Android 4.2, better known as Android Jelly Bean, as well as the next generation of TouchWiz skin on top.
There are some more daft rumours floating around, namely that the Samsung Galaxy S4 will run off a different operating system called Tizen, simply because Samsung is using it on other phones.
Don't worry, this won't happen...although a variant of the phone could be used as a blueprint for a decent alternative handset.
More likely is Samsung bringing out the Galaxy S4 to coincide with the next version of Android from Google, called Key Lime Pie.
April would be roughly the time we'd start seeing rumours of such things, so it's not unbelievable that you could buy an S4 with a cutting edge OS.
In truth, we've never really seen this happen from the Koreans, so chances are it will be boring old Jelly Bean when your S4 appears in your hands.
Rumours that the Galaxy S4 will ship with Android 4.2 have been further reinforced after a benchmark result claiming to be for the flagship handset showed the device running version 4.2.
Battery life is key - obviously
Ok, we admit we always want more. The S2's 1,650mAh was manageable and the S3's 2,100mAh blows that out of the water. But it's still only OK.
You can get by on a day of moderate use but if you use this phone heavily (and we're talking watching TV shows on the morning and evening commute alongside your normal tinkering), this handset will still want a plug in at some point.
Motorola has proven it can be done by whacking a 3,300mAh power pack into the RAZR Maxx which can still be considered a skinny Minnie. Something of that size – along with ICS and Samsung's power management abilities – would really be the icing on the Ice Cream Sandwich.
Samsung Galaxy S4 camera
What's that? You're bored of an 8MP camera on the Samsung Galaxy S3 since you've seen the likes of the Sony Xperia Z popping up with a 13MP snapper attached?
Well, good news everyone: a picture supposedly captured from the S4 hints at an at least 10MP camera, according a snap shown on Picasa. Remember, EXIF data can be faked though, so there's every chance this amazingly well-framed photo is just the work of a chancer hoping to jump on the S4 bandwagon: Cred: Picasa
In a separate report, a couple more images popped up on Picasa claiming that they were taken on a Samsung GT-I9505, thought to be the international version of the Galaxy S4.
The blurry shots showing the rear of a computer tower are hardly awe-inspiring, plus the EXIF data attached to the snaps revealing the device they were taken on can be easily forged.
Both images sport a 2322 x 4128 resolution which would suggest the Samsung Galaxy S4 is packing a 13MP camera, although we're not pinning much hope on the authenticity of these pictures.
And apparently it's not just the sensor size that Samsung is working on, with the Korean firm also developing its own version of Photo Sphere called Samsung Orb, allowing you to take 360 degree snaps with the Galaxy S4 camera.
Samsung Orb will supposedly come with some fancy Facebook integration too, allowing you to share your snaps easily on the social network.
Will polycarbonate make a return?
We've lost count of the amount of people we've shown our device off to who've replied with the words: "Yeah, it's great but looks like a bit of a toy." It's a double-edged sword: the plastic is used to keep this handset nice and light, but does detract from what should be a premium device.
A bit of glass wouldn't go amiss. Android users, say what you like about the iPhone 4/4S (and we know you won't be short of words), but aside from being smash-tastic, the glass really adds that premium and expensive feel that the S3 just doesn't have.
Forget what your mum told you – it's what's on the outside that counts too, so the Samsung Galaxy S4 needs to step it up in the design stakes. The latest predictions also state that the 'Pebble Blue' colour that caused so much consternation with the S3 is on its way out - black and white are the only way to go these days, apparently.
The latest rumours state that the phone has been in production since late last year, and thankfully (or sadly, depending on your stance on front furniture) there will be a physical home button. There won't be any room for an S-Pen though, which makes sense as this won't be part of the Note range.
And hopes for a brushed aluminium Samsung Galaxy S4 may have been dashed after a Samsung executive talked up the use of plastic in the firm's flagship devices.
We've also seen many, many leaked shots claiming to be the Samsung Galaxy S4 - some better than others - and it isn't filling us with a huge amount of confidence as it could quite easily be a mash up between the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2.
The most recent shows a Samsung Galaxy S4 that looks like nothing more than just that - here's hoping it's another one of those fakes Samsung threw out to the market prior to the S3 launch to confuse us pretend journalists.
It seems like this is an evolution of what's gone before - is the fact it's not too dissimilar proof that this is the final design, or all part of Samsung's clever ploy?
Credit: SamMobile
Again 'confirmed' is the possibility that famous home button may be here to stay if the latest image claiming to show the Samsung Galaxy S4 next to the Galaxy S3 is to be believed - although it could well be another Photoshop job.
Credit: BGR
We've also seen another half-cocked effort from a Photoshop enthusiast - as we've said, it's a lot more like a 'would like to see' rather than any proper press shot.
Looks pretty though, right?
Credit: @tamerallyy
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini and smartwatch
Here's something interesting from the rumour mill: Samsung's Project J, which was what we all assumed was the codename for the new S4, will actually yield a Galaxy S4 mini and a Galaxy Smartwatch.
The Galaxy S4 Mini would be an odd choice to launch at the same time as the S4 'proper', simply because the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini has only recently gone on sale in the last few months - surely the brand wouldn't cannibalise sales that quickly?
And as for the other device: In the last few month the smartwatch, a device that connects your phone to a small screen on your wrist, has gained massive traction, with the likes of Apple even having a 100-strong design team working on the concept.
Word is that the Project J Active (or Fortius, if you prefer) which appears to be a slightly different device with accessories such as an arm band, bike mount and pouch listed, so could easily be a transferable piece of technology - and smartwatches are what everyone is talking about, despite the fact it sounds more like another tough phone to follow on from the Galaxy XCover 2,
Reports state Project J Active is yet to be finalised, unlike the others, which have already been given the green light.
But it's not all about what's rumoured... we're still allowed to dream about a perfect phone. So here are the things we hope get improved when the Galaxy S4 finally launches:
Better S-Voice
S-Voice just isn't there. At least Siri had the nous to call itself a BETA so that it could be excused for not getting things right at times. The problem we have with S-Voice is it just doesn't seem to be able to do much.
Sure, it can tell you what the weather is like if you really can't be bothered to look out the window. And it'll save you 10 seconds by setting an alarm.
But it's just not powerful enough - and is, frankly, awful for something that's supposed to be a headline feature on one of the world's best smartphones.
We've actually been using Speak To It Assistant far more often because it's superior. Samsung could do worse than buy a company like this to give the Galaxy S4 a real chance of being the best voice-controlled mobile out there.
Better Mac support
Yep, we know many consumers believe Mac users account for only 0.000001% of Android owners (why wouldn't they just buy an iPhone, right?)
But there are lots who like Apple computers as well as Android devices. And up until the S3, they got on famously.
But Android has changed the rules and how storage works so that it follows the MTP Protocol which plays along brilliantly with Windows but can't stand Macs.
Yes, we know this is a Google issue and not something that Samsung can be blamed for. But having said that, the HTC One X also runs Ice Cream Sandwich and it has managed to tweak the code enough for there to not be a problem.
Please Samsung – don't shut them out. Ice Cream Sandwich may be frozen – but we shouldn't be, so when you bring out the Jelly Bean or Key Lime Pie-powered Galaxy S4, let's get some support.
Samsung Galaxy S4 accessories
Samsung unveiled the SIII alongside a raft of accessories – the usual things like cases were complimented by the C-Pen (like the Note 2's S-Pen but smaller) and the dongle for connecting to your TV to stream stuff.
The problem is, they're all so expensive: £20 for the C-Pen and the best part of £70 for the AllShare Dongle. They're not mainstream accessories – and little wonder.
If Samsung made these cheaper – or even threw them into the box for the Galaxy S4 (highly unlikely, but we can dream) then it would make for a much happier customer.
Perhaps a premium package where you spend a little more but get the accessories at the same time would work... people like to get the most out of things when they get their shiny new device.
Better charging
Plug it in and charge until it's full. That's always been the way. But we'd love to see a more advanced version of charging - ditching the wires should be more prevalent.
Maybe something similar to the conductive methods used by Palm in the Pre which never really caught on. The idea being that you don't have to plug the phone in to charge, just place it on a particular mat or place and it does it automatically.The S3 has that functionality, but it's hardly been well-publicised since launch.
The likes of Nokia with the Lumia 920 have been banging on about the amazing world of wireless charging for ages now, with a range of accessories too. Given that it will all be based on the Qi wireless charging standard, we'll soon see reams of coffee shops and airports with these charging stations littered around - just don't forget to watch your phone.
Or how about something really radical – like a battery that can also charge kinetically on the S4. Sure, it would be slow but wouldn't it be great if you could go for a run and manage to gain an extra 10 or 20% just by doing so to get you through the day? Radical – yes. But Samsung is known for its innovation.
Improved speakers
As beautiful and wonderful as the S3 is, the speaker still sounds tinny. Ringtones sound cheap and when it is on its back, they're also muffled. At least the iPhone has a bit of bass.
But what about going a bit further? Have three or four powerful but small speakers around the rim so when you play music, it comes out loud and with a bit of bass.
Hell, even make it so strong that it negates the need for a travel dock so you can play music at a decent volume when you nip away for the weekend or are sitting on the beach. That'd be a real selling point.
For consumers, AT&T's new plans are limited to 10 devices. Businesses can add 15 devices for 30GB plans, 20 devices for 40GB plans, and 25 devices for 50GB plans. 
From John Poole's 
S-Voice just isn't there. At least Siri had the nous to call itself a BETA so that it could be excused for not getting things right at times. The problem we have with S-Voice is it just doesn't seem to be able to do much. 