By The Samsung Galaxy S4 has been a tough phone to map ahead of its unveiling. Heck, we don’t even have much of an idea of when, exactly, Samsung is looking to bring the device out for all to see. New details regarding the phone’s design and features have emerged from Korean publication DDaily, though, and it pretty much lets us know that the Galaxy S4 is NOT the new Note.
That is, the Galaxy S4 won’t be coming with the S Pen as previously rumored. Samsung likely doesn’t want to let go of the hold it currently has on the phablet market, and would prefer to keep the Galaxy S and Note series separate. That’s a very sensible approach so I can’t say I blame them. Another confirmed design decision is the presence of a physical home button.
The company apparently thought long and hard about ditching the button it’s been using for users, but reportedly decided against it. It certainly is iconic of the Samsung Mobile brand at this point, so the Korean OEM probably doesn’t want to do anything that will jeopardize the small things which make its products unique.
We’re still looking for more concrete details on the core specs of the device, though it’s highly likely we’ll be seeing a 5 inch display with full 1080p HD resolution. We also expect some form of a quad-core processor, at least 2GB of RAM, and a very nice camera. We’ll keep our ears and eyes peeled for more information as we head into March and April.
[via PhoneArena]
That’s cool Samsung. Keep driving me away with your damn physical home buttons. I want the XPhone more anyway.
I’m not a fan of that button. had a one s, tried the s3 and went back to htc
I heard its going to be an octo-core cpu
seriously? fail if this is true!
It wasn’t a fail when they did it with the S3 and look at the success that had.
I was very against it at first, but now i’m use it to it.
I think it’s their way of converting the apple fags into android coolness…and giving them something familiar to help in their transition.
they keeping the home button because there users are use to having the a physical button and most people stick to familiarity…i know a lot of people who love the home button on samsung devices and i also agree that for apple fans who try out android are most likely to use a galaxy phone because of the familiarity with the home button. ..i personally love it and is one of the reason i pick samsung phones along with the fact it has removable storage and battery.
Serious dude, the f word? Come on grow up
It was supposed to say “fans”…finger must’a slipped. Sorry to offend…
Actually I prefer having physical home button. It gives you one more button to wake it up and more screen space.
Totally agree with you
Now if only we can ditch the capacitive buttons all together…..I HATE —-HAAAATTE— accidental clicks
No way, need those. ツ
I’m with you. great for a quick glance at your desk without having to pick up your phone or awkwardly squeeze it.
second nature after 1 day.
I would like to have had a physical home button on my GSII, but with my Note 2, I find it difficult to use with one handed operation. As the GS4 will be rather large, it might not be the best option. Personally, I would prefer a recessed capacitive button.
I really would prefer they ditch the physical buttons altogether and go with the standard Google has set out in using on-screen buttons, but it’s not a breaking point for me. I love my S3.
No that was a bad idea and takes up screen space,
I hate those lame on screen buttons! Hehe
That’s just me …
It’s better for Samsung not to combine Note with the S series.
So many people have a problem with the physical button, didnt sammy just carry android with the s3 as well as n2. So even with the button millions will buy it.
No stupid home button! Gah… So disappointing.
I am disappoint. I really hate that thing too :/
Good…I’m considering dropping my Galaxy Nexus for the S4 but did not want the S-pen.
And getting the S4 might depend on what I’m hearing about the X. Could be worth waiting for…
what’s the problem with having an s-pen as an option?
just because it’s there doesn’t mean you have to use it.
Why samsung! I love my s3 but my only complaint is the physical home button! I seriously hate pressing it. And with apple being so sue happy against you, why are you giving them ammunition by having a physical home button just like their iphones?
serious question. how often so you use the home button versus backing out of apps?
Almost always. Home takes one click; Back takes more clicks (and more time) to unwind the arbitrarily long backstack of each app.
I find myself backing out a lot because the gs3 home button is so slow to respond compared to the back button, which is instant.
The slow home button thing is only if you’re on stock TouchWhiz and you can fix that by disabling samsung’s svoice opening by double-tap-home in settings.
Unless you use s voice turn it off for quick home button response
Besides aesthetics (I feel like a physical home button is biting off Apple) the home button is a horrible idea because, when in the pocket, your leg is constantly pressing against it which wakes it from sleep. This GREATLY impacted my battery life when I’d be out and about with my Galaxy S3.
STOP IT SAMSUNG. Stahp.
Also, this is probably great news for Verizon as they have another spot to place their logo :p
At some point I’m sure Verizon will figure out a way to print their logo on the screen so if you’re looking at an angle you see it.
wasn’t in my rezound, tbolt or droid. Why the derp QQ that has NOTHING to do with VZW? Vagisil inserts, ma’am.
Really? Your leg pressed against the home button hard enough to press it down? I find that a little hard to believe. I’ve never run into that issue once with any of my S phones…
because you keep it in your pocket. How do you know? The tighter fitting clothes are, when you sit down, they press up against your leg which can cause ANY button to press down if its in the wrong place.
My pants are pretty tight.
they must be extra tight as the home button on the s3 is pretty flat and needs to pushed in a few mm to become active…never had such issue and i doubt i ever will…
So in other words you’re saying you wear skinny jeans?
I wear skinny jeans more often than not, and the pants I wear for work aren’t exactly loose fitting. I’m constantly out and about so always checking my phone, and have never once pulled it out of my pocket with the screen already on…
That’s how I know.
I’ve never had that issue either. lol
This actually happens to me all the time at work. My pants are pretty average (not overly tight or loose) but I do need to move around a lot, bend over, etc, which causes the screen to constantly turn on and off.
3rd leg ?
I agree with Chris.
Stop wearing retarded skinny jeans and you won’t have that problem. Your nut sack will thank you too.
But the ladies dig ’em :c
Teenage and early twenty-something girls may dig them, but some day you’re going to make a real woman very upset because of your low sperm count.
Plus you look like an idiot wearing skinny jeans. Almost, but not quite, as bad as the pants off the ass crowd.
Never do I wear anything but comfortable jeans, definitely not tight in the thigh area and I walk to and from work (45 minutes each way) and in my pocket that button gets pressed constantly. My leg presses the button while I’m walking, then the phone wakes up and then the next contact with my leg will pause the music. Sometimes it’s because my pockets are big enough to allow the phone to twist at a weird angle and press against my leg during a step.
However I like the button, I just deal with it.
I love the physical home button on my GN2. It feels much more responsive and I can wake up the phone with it instead of only the power button on the side. When a case is on the phone, it can get difficult to press that power button. Long press for recent apps is another great reason to have a physical button. I’m glad they left it alone.
I don’t like the way on screen buttons take up the space on the screen. It makes display look smaller. On screen buttons can allow the phone to be smaller by reducing the bazel at the bottom but most new high-end phones(nexus 4, xperia z, etc) with on screen buttons still have thicker bottom bazel than the samsung gs3 & gn2 which features a physical home button with two capacitive buttons next to it.
Thick bazel with on screen buttons = fat bottomed girl
I edit my system so only the power button will wake my phone. What’s the point of a power button if the home button will turn on the phone? That and I keep my phone in my pocket and kept turning on the screen when I’d bend down or something.
Depends on how you’re holding the phone. When I had the HTC G2, I used the trackpad to turn on the phone when I was laying down. So when I’m lazy in the bed I would just press the button instead of looking for the power button. LoL!!
why would s-pen be included in the gs4.. it’s not a note series. and please keep the button. there’s always a time when software will not work
because they invested in Wacom. They are using Wacom tech in their devices. Because it would be a no-brainer to have that as another feature. There is always time when software will work if it’s done correctly.
and that’s why they created a new line called the “Note” line… sigh….
The button sends the signal to the software. So if the software freezes up, then the button wouldn’t work regardless.
logically yes, but there are times when only the software software side gets glitched while the actual keys work.
Ugh, hate the physical button. I have both the Gnex and the GS3, and while the GS3 is definitely the more polished phone, I much prefer the capacative home on the Gnex.
I heard it is going to have an hexagon shape to stop all this dumb speculation.
I heard people were going to stop with the shape jokes…. wrong.
I have no problem with the home button at all, but the size of my S3 is about as big as I can handle. Hopefully the screen will increase without much change in the physical size.
I actually like the home button on the s3! Like someone mentioned it’s one more button to wake the device! I hope they keep the removable battery/memory!
I like the physical home button, it can be used for waking the device rather than wearing out the power button. On the Samsung phone it is used for many other things. Yep I also just like the overall look of the home button. Thank You Samsung. One thing please, give us plenty of interior storage (64mb) along with the sd card. 16mb of int storage just doesn’t cut it on any high end device IMO.
The SGS4 is going to be the best device made in 2013.
64MB? I can’t even fit a full Backstreet Boys album on that.
EDIT: Not that I listen to the Backstreet Boys, or anything… *runs*
yay! I actually like the physical home button as the on screen button on my Nexus 7 kills me everytime I play a game app with tons of toggles at the bottom part of the screen.
yep cant stand on screen nav button…have the nexus 7 and even though its 7” it really isnt as the on screen buttons takes space and the only time you get the full screen is in video and whats most annoying is the accidental presses and the fact that in many games the buttons dont disappear
I came to the S3 from the S1 (Captivate) and thought I might hate the physical home button, but after about a week or so I got used to the extra pressure needed to click it (VS barely tapping capacitive). I also began to appreciate it as an easier/alternate way to wake the device when you can’t reach the power button (depending on how you’re holding it).
While I neither love or hate the physical home button, I’d still prefer to see it go away just to reduce the BEZEL size, and to not have to worry about water & gunk getting in the cracks.
I’m mildly hoping the Galaxy Note 3 has no button… but those are probably 500:1 odds (any takers?)
It’s kinda funny how you guys in the US complain about the presence of a physical button when we (ie the rest of the world) have had one since the SGS1.
I personally like it and got annoyed with my Gnex coz the on screen buttons kept getting in the way of whatever game I was playing.
Oh and @Gamercore:disqus, it helps if you don’t wear skinny jeans :P
lost my money. Note 3.
Umm, that’s why when you sit down, here’s an idea,…ready for this, take it out of your pocket!!!
final nail in the coffin for Samsuck..
I prefer a navigation bar but cry me a river if they opt for physical buttons. I went from a Galaxy Nexus to a Galaxy S3 and the buttons don’t bother me. If anything its nostalgic of the “old Android days”. :P
The home button honestly made the switch from iphone to android easier… Just felt right…. now I could care less about a hard button or not. I wish the s4 had an spen though… The note2 is slightly too big for my hands but I love the spen for multiple things.
I’ve owned the Note and Note 2. I don’t like the physical home button.
I love home button answer! Use it a lot for recent apps to.
I do disable wake though because my fat fingers hit it when pulling from pocket .
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1836758
Want an S-pen? Get a Note. Want no physical button? Buy another phone maker and stop whining.
HA HA good ol Samsung like an old whore – never changes [apparently] 2ys of the same was enough for me – if I hadn’t been locked into a contract I would have gone for the S2 as I liked the square shape. But when I saw the S3 with the egg shape and the SAME bloody 3 buttons….RUMOUR S10 still has same Home ………………..lol
luxtechblog.blogspot.com
Really glad this most likely won’t come with S Pen, the Note looks nearly identical to the GS3 as it is except like it’s on steroids or something. I personally prefer the S series. Also hoping it will be available widely on release in 32GB, 16GB internal space is like a cruel joke, even with my 32 GB SD card.
Ok with physical Home as long as they ditch Menu, now nearly all apps have updated to action bar it serves no purpose and holds back the progression of Android.