Android By Ryan Whitwam Feb. 25, 2014 8:30 am
Samsung became an unstoppable force in mobile by betting big on Android. Each new version of the flagship Galaxy device so far has been a big step up in specs, but many software features have been added on top of Google’s OS at the same time. With the Galaxy S5, Samsung is slowing down the spec race and focusing on new experiences enabled by the updated hardware. This phone is essentially a slightly bigger, slightly faster Galaxy S4 that’s crammed with sensors.
The overall design of the S5 is Samsung through-and-through. Anyone hoping for an all-metal redesign of Samsung’s flagship line (as per the rumors) is sorely disappointed right now. The back of the device has a dimple pattern that looks somewhat similar to the S4, though it’s a bit more grippy. Many people have taken to comparing the aesthetics to that of a band-aid, which is hard to deny. At the top is a squarish camera lens packing a 16MP sensor with super-fast 0.3 second focus time and live HDR preview. It protrudes a bit more than the S4 camera did, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary.
Right next to the flash on the Galaxy S5 is the first of Samsung’s new device sensors — a heart rate monitor. This sensor ties in with the updated S Health app so you can just reach back check your pulse. It’s just a few centimeters from where your hand will be sitting anyway, so why not?
The front of the Galaxy S5 looks even more like the GS4 — there’s a big 5.1-inch 1080p Super AMOLED screen and physical home button below it. The Galaxy S4 screen was the same resolution and only 0.1-inches smaller. The GS5 home button looks almost identical to the last generation, but another of Samsung’s new sensors is hiding behind it — a fingerprint reader. This can be used to unlock the device and access secure content.
Samsung has moved away from the hardware menu button with the Galaxy S5. Users will now have a multitasking button in its place, which works much better with Google’s mandated software menu button in KitKat and later (this used to be optional). The same setup is seen on the new Samsung Pro tablets.
The front of the Galaxy S5 houses a new type of sensor to monitor the light and adjust the screen accordingly. It’s not just brightness, but the lighting temperature that figures into how the Galaxy S5 screen looks. The S4 introduced AMOLED color profiles, and the S5 will be able to switch profiles automatically with this improved light sensor.
While the overall design of Samsung’s new flagship is similar to the Galaxy S4, this phone steps it up by adding IP67 compliant water and dust resistance. The battery door has a rubber gasket to keep the insides dry, and there’s a USB port cover. A quick trip through a rainstorm or a drop in the sink won’t be the end of your beloved gadget.
Internally, the GS5 packs a quad-core 2.5GHz ARM chip, the new*Snapdragon 801. That’s a clear improvement of the Snapdragon 600 that launched in the Galaxy S4. However, the Korean smartphone maker decided to stick with 2GB of RAM in the Galaxy S5 despite using 3GB in the Note 3 several months ago. The entire thing is powered by a 2800mAh battery, which is a modest increase over the 2600mAh cell in the GS4. This phone should be a little snappier than last year’s flagship, but it doesn’t outclass the competition like the Galaxy S4 did in early 2013.
Samsung is launching the Galaxy S5 with Android 4.4.2, which is the most recent version of Google’s platform at this time. Samsung hasn’t focused on its UI changes in any of the early promos, which might indicate a more laser-like focus on a handful of features — fingerprints, heart rate, the camera, and so on. It’s less a buffet of features and more of a proper meal. The Galaxy S5 is going on sale in 150 countries April 11th, including on the major US carriers.
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The overall design of the S5 is Samsung through-and-through. Anyone hoping for an all-metal redesign of Samsung’s flagship line (as per the rumors) is sorely disappointed right now. The back of the device has a dimple pattern that looks somewhat similar to the S4, though it’s a bit more grippy. Many people have taken to comparing the aesthetics to that of a band-aid, which is hard to deny. At the top is a squarish camera lens packing a 16MP sensor with super-fast 0.3 second focus time and live HDR preview. It protrudes a bit more than the S4 camera did, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary.
Right next to the flash on the Galaxy S5 is the first of Samsung’s new device sensors — a heart rate monitor. This sensor ties in with the updated S Health app so you can just reach back check your pulse. It’s just a few centimeters from where your hand will be sitting anyway, so why not?
The front of the Galaxy S5 looks even more like the GS4 — there’s a big 5.1-inch 1080p Super AMOLED screen and physical home button below it. The Galaxy S4 screen was the same resolution and only 0.1-inches smaller. The GS5 home button looks almost identical to the last generation, but another of Samsung’s new sensors is hiding behind it — a fingerprint reader. This can be used to unlock the device and access secure content.
Samsung has moved away from the hardware menu button with the Galaxy S5. Users will now have a multitasking button in its place, which works much better with Google’s mandated software menu button in KitKat and later (this used to be optional). The same setup is seen on the new Samsung Pro tablets.
The front of the Galaxy S5 houses a new type of sensor to monitor the light and adjust the screen accordingly. It’s not just brightness, but the lighting temperature that figures into how the Galaxy S5 screen looks. The S4 introduced AMOLED color profiles, and the S5 will be able to switch profiles automatically with this improved light sensor.
While the overall design of Samsung’s new flagship is similar to the Galaxy S4, this phone steps it up by adding IP67 compliant water and dust resistance. The battery door has a rubber gasket to keep the insides dry, and there’s a USB port cover. A quick trip through a rainstorm or a drop in the sink won’t be the end of your beloved gadget.
Internally, the GS5 packs a quad-core 2.5GHz ARM chip, the new*Snapdragon 801. That’s a clear improvement of the Snapdragon 600 that launched in the Galaxy S4. However, the Korean smartphone maker decided to stick with 2GB of RAM in the Galaxy S5 despite using 3GB in the Note 3 several months ago. The entire thing is powered by a 2800mAh battery, which is a modest increase over the 2600mAh cell in the GS4. This phone should be a little snappier than last year’s flagship, but it doesn’t outclass the competition like the Galaxy S4 did in early 2013.
Samsung is launching the Galaxy S5 with Android 4.4.2, which is the most recent version of Google’s platform at this time. Samsung hasn’t focused on its UI changes in any of the early promos, which might indicate a more laser-like focus on a handful of features — fingerprints, heart rate, the camera, and so on. It’s less a buffet of features and more of a proper meal. The Galaxy S5 is going on sale in 150 countries April 11th, including on the major US carriers.
More...
