The long wait for the next smartphone in the Samsung Galaxy lineup has come to an end. Samsung has finally taken the veil off the bigger and better, Samsung Galaxy S5 at the Mobile World Conference (MWC). Now that the specifications and release dates have been confirmed for the Korean smartphone, let us enlighten you with all that it packs within.
If you were a fan of the look and design of the Samsung Galaxy S4, the latest flagship smartphone won’t require much getting used to. The S5 seems more or less unchanged with the 5.1-inch 1080p AMOLED display on the front. This puts to rest all the pointless rumours about a 2k display that we would keep hearing prior to the announcement. The IP67 certification means that the S5 is also dust and water resistant. That doesn’t mean you start putting its ability to stay underwater to test right away, though.
You immediately notice design changes once you flip over the S5. The rear is a dotted plastic back that replaces glossy back panel which feels somewhat better than before. The plastic feel also accounts for comparatively lighter weight of the device at 145 grams. The back is also home to the 16-megapixels snapper that can shoot 4K UHD videos running at 30 frames per second. HDR capabilities and video stabilization options also go to show how serious Samsung is about camera quality.
Performance-wise, the S5 is quite a power pack. The phone runs 2.5 GHz Snapdragon 800 Quad core processor alongside 2GB of RAM that would certainly keep most functions on the phone work like a breeze. Unsurprisingly, the S5 will run the latest Android 4.4.2 KitKat that certainly gives it a short term advantage over the others in regards to software. The 2800mAh battery Galaxy S5 will allow users 390 hours of standby time and talk time of as long as 21 hours.
The rest of the features are a mix of plenty old and some new ones. WiFi options are standard as before alongside MIMO technology, NFC, IR blaster, USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 4.0.New features include: Quick Connect, Kids Mode, Private Mode, S Health 3.0 and Download booster. The built-in heart monitor under the camera lens keeps a check on the user’s heart rate once the finger is placed on the sweet spot. A finger print sensor is also made part of the deal this time around. Unlike Apple’s application of the fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5s, the one on S5 needs swipe gestures.
There you have it then. Samsung Galaxy S5 is finally here with a something extra in nearly all departments. The improvements aren’t too extraordinary in the modern day and age, one could argue. In any case, the S5 will hit stores on 11th April in over 150 countries along with the Gear Fit and Gear 2. There is no word on the official price yet but expect Samsung to announce that in good time. It’s high time you start thinking if the upgrade to Galaxy S5 is really worth it.
