Now that the Samsung Galaxy S4 is available for purchase, the conversation over release dates and features has quickly turned into one about purchasing decisions. Should you buy the phone, and, if so, why?
The new Samsung smartphone certainly has its share of detractors. Some will be turned off simply by the device's build alone (sorry, it's still plastic), but the Galaxy S4 definitely still has some great points in its favor. While our review was also mixed on the phone, it's still an impressively powerful piece of hardware. For the right customer, it would be a great fit.
Here are six reasons you might be interested in Samsung's Galaxy S4.
Features
If there's one thing the Galaxy S4 isn't lacking in, it's features. Samsung has packed so many into this 5-inch device it's essentially like lining up at a buffet and figuring out what to try first. From built-in health apps and pedometers to IR blasters to eye-tracking and motion gesture technology, the Galaxy S4 is certainly an ambitious device. These may not all be useful, but technophiles will love playing around with them.
Screen
The Galaxy S4 isn't much bigger than the Galaxy S3's, but there's a distinct difference in terms of screen quality. It may be all the saturated colors in Samsung's TouchWiz interface, but the Galaxy S4 is extremely alluring to the eyes. The colors on this 1080p resolution screen pop in a way that's hard for other phones to match. And the 5-inch screen size makes it seem even more impressive when compared to equally impressive screens built into the iPhone 5.
Big But Not Dumb
We all know smartphones are getting bigger. Whereas 5-inch screens used to be considered behemoths, they are now run of the mill. With phones stretching beyond 6-inch territory, though, things are starting to get out of hand. The Galaxy S4 is a large phone, but Samsung didn't go overboard, and that's a very good thing. You can still use it with one hand, and lugging it around isn't a pain, like the Galaxy Note series.
Choices
It's true, not everyone is a fan of Samsung's TouchWiz interface. With the Galaxy S4, Samsung has packed a lot of features in, but the cost of that decision is that the phone comes with about 8GB of space already take up. But what if you want the Galaxy S4's performance power without all the TouchWiz bells and whistles? Typically you'd be out of luck, but Google is now offering the Galaxy S4 running stock Android. That means there's a phone out there for either preference.
Android 4.3 and Key Lime Pie
Galaxy S3 owners may be wondering why they should upgrade if many Galaxy S4 features end up on their phones via Samsung updates and they're going to get Android updates like Jelly Bean 4.3 and Key Lime Pie anyway. The likely scenario, though, is that the Galaxy S4 is going to get both Android updates first, and that its performance boost will allow it to run the next major Android upgrades much more smoothly. Even in terms of Samsung updates, not all the S4's features (and future upgrades) will be arriving on the S3, which missed the Premium Suite software in the Android 4.1.2 update.
Camera
Nearly everyone uses their smartphone to take photos these days, and while nearly every flagship device has a good camera, the Galaxy S4's is one of the best. Not only does it pack a 13-megapixel lens, but it also shoots 1080p HD video at 30fps.
App Options
If you're an iPhone owner, this may not really apply to you, but if you're in the market for a new phone and are considering Windows or BlackBerry, it's good to keep in mind that Google Play simply dwarfs them in terms of size. While Microsoft and BlackBerry continue to bring more apps online, Samsung's Galaxy S4 already has pretty much everything you'd want.
