facebook rss twitter

Samsung Galaxy S4 launch and release dates revealed

by Mark Tyson on 23 January 2013, 16:15

Tags: Samsung (005935.KS), Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), PC

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qabrvf

Add to My Vault: x

The eagerly anticipated new Samsung flagship smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S4, code-named “Altius” is to be launched at an event on 22nd March and then released on 15th April according to a report on Asian Economies News. The next Samsung Mobile Unpacked event showcasing the new smartphone will take place in the USA and is rumoured to be the largest ever.

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2013 is arranged for 25-28 February 2013 in Barcelona and Samsung has again decided to launch a major smartphone after, rather than during, this busy smartphone-centric event. While there is only one date put forward for the unveiling (22nd March) the launch has a couple of possibilities. SamMobile’s sources suggest a release date of Monday 15th April but a leaked Samsung Galaxy S4 image suggests Monday, 22nd April (at 10.45am!). However the SamMobile guys think the image below is not genuine because “the UI looks exactly the same as the current nature TouchWiz UX, the design of the device is very similar to the Galaxy Note II and Samsung never uses battery percentage icon in their Mobile Phone press shots.”

click to enlarge

Samsung Galaxy S4 rumoured specs

  • Processors: Exynos 5 Octa (8-Core) CPU, Mali-T658 (8-Core) GPU
  • Display: 4.99″ Super AMOLED Full HD Resolution Display
  • Operating System: Android Jelly Bean 4.2.1
  • RAM: 2GB
  • Cameras: 13 Megapixel Rear facing Camera capable of shooting 1080p Full HD Videos at 30FPS, 2 Megapixel front facing camera capable of shooting 720p HD Video
  • Code Name: Altius
  • Model Number: GT-I9500
  • Colours: Black / White
  • Battery Capacity: 2600 mAh
  • Special: Wireless Charging Kit

Naming dilemma

With all of these details “known” it may be surprising to hear that it’s not inevitable that the next Samsung Galaxy S flagship will be called the Samsung Galaxy S4 or Samsung Galaxy S IV. In many East Asian countries the number four is seen as very unlucky and is usually avoided, the people are tetraphobic. This is largely due to the number four and the word death being homophonous in many of the East Asian languages.

Previous tech companies have paid attention to this aspect of Asian culture by avoiding the number four. Psion skipped the Series 4 and Nokia skipped the 4th edition of the S60 mobile OS. Even Microsoft decided to skip from Windows 3 to Windows 95... Now, as you can see, the next Samsung Galaxy S flagship’s model number has seen an increment to GT-I9500 in SamMobile’s “100% confirmed” details above. Because it’s 2013 I’d like to suggest the name Samsung Galaxy S 13, this would solve both the unlucky four problem and be relevant and timely.

Overall the Samsung GT-I9500 spec looks very impressive but I hope the form has some surprises to it after seeing the possibilities with new materials for screens shown off at the recent CES in Las Vegas. Hopefully the picture above really is just an unimaginative mock-up...

HEXUS Forums :: 41 Comments

Login with Forum Account

Don't have an account? Register today!
Posted by 3dcandy - Wed 23 Jan 2013 16:28
8-core cpu and gpu? That would really be overkill….
Posted by crossy - Wed 23 Jan 2013 16:30
Previous tech companies have paid attention to this aspect of Asian culture by avoiding the number four. Psion skipped the Series 4 and Nokia skipped the 4th edition of the S60 mobile OS. Even Microsoft decided to skip from Windows 3 to Windows 95… Now, as you can see, the next Samsung Galaxy S flagship’s model number has seen an increment to GT-I9500 in SamMobile’s “100% confirmed” details above. Because it’s 2013 I’d like to suggest the name Samsung Galaxy S 13, this would solve both the unlucky four problem and be relevant and timely.
Since it's an octa-core phone (and why the heck do we NEED eight cores - even a quad high and a quad low arrangement?) what's wrong with the very obvious “Galaxy S 8” - especially as I'm sure someone told me that “8” is lucky in asian schemes. Especially as in English “S 8” sounds like “sate”, which dictionaries show means “to satisfy to fully” or “to satisfy to excess”, the latter being very appropriate for an octa-core phone.

By the way, wireless charging? I seem to remember that S3 owners were supposed to be getting this, and no sign of it yet. :(

Not sure I'll be in the line to get this - because the S3 suits me very well and I guarantee this year's model will be very expensive. Although, if the pics they showed on All About Android last week are true then I might reconsider - with a screen that curves around two edges of the device.
Posted by realstock - Wed 23 Jan 2013 16:31
Agreed, I only manage to get 1 days worth of use out of my S3.

With the same battery used in my S3, it is likely to last for 12 hrs at least!
Posted by miniyazz - Wed 23 Jan 2013 16:39
S 13? No thank you :p

In other silliness, how about the New Galaxy S? Lol

S4/IV would do me fine.
Posted by Roobubba - Wed 23 Jan 2013 16:43
I'm still on an S2, which is great but I will be coming out of contract in the next 12 months. This is so far the front runner. Interesting to see how this stacks up against the google nexus 4, and what my friendly price-cutters (the customer retention department) can do. I'm paying 15 quid a month for my S2 over a 2 year contract. Not shabby at all!

SEE NEWER »