Samsung Galaxy S4 to sport new camera features

With the release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 just a few months away the rumour mill has been heating up with leaks including case images and now new software features

The Samsung Galaxy S4 could feature a new camera mode called Samsung Orb which would allow users to stitch together a completely 360-degree image, similar to Googles own Photo Sphere feature found on Android Jelly Bean.

The leak comes from Android Geeks who claim to have been contacted by a software engineer working on the Galaxy SIV. The engineer claims that Samsung Orb will be better than Photo Sphere due to the Galaxy S4s rumoured 13MP camera.

Facebook integration has also been suggested with users able to upload their Samsung Orb pictures onto the social network allowing others to click on the image and then look around inside the 360-degree photo.

The Galaxy S4 is yet to be confirmed however several companies have already started releasing videos of Galaxy S4 cases which have revealed that the smartphone will be around the same size as the Galaxy S3 but will sport a completely new design.

Other reports have claimed that the S4 will be Samsungs most powerful smartphone yet featuring a huge 1.8GHz eight-core chip called the Exynos 5 Octa chip.

While this directly contradicts SamMobile which believes Samsungs new superphone will come with a 2.0GHz quad-core processor, either would still make it the most powerful smartphone available trumping HTCs newly announced HTC One and wiping the floor of Apples iPhone 5.

With Samsung set to unveil budget and mid-range smartphones such as the Galaxy Star at MWC 2013, users will have to wait until after the conference to find out what the Galaxy S4 will look like with rumours pointing to a mid-March release date.

Read more »

Samsung Galaxy S4 may have 1 8GHz eight core processor

Samsung Galaxy S4 rumours are in full swing now, with the latest seeming to predict that a 1.8GHz eight-core processor will power the device

Samsungs eagerly-anticipated Galaxy S4 handset may arrive touting the companys brand new Exynos Octa eight-core processor, if recent benchmarking tests are to be believed.

Model numbers SHV-E300S and GT-I9500, which have previously been mentioned as identifiers for the Galaxy S4 in previous speculation, have shown up in screenshots taken from the AnTuTu benchmarking app.

The screenshots reveal a 1.8GHz processor, which is in line with the next-generation eight-core Exynos 5 Octa chip Samsung is known to be working on.

Reports earlier this week suggested that the Octa may be saved for the Galaxy Note 3 phablet, but its entirely plausible that it will also be powering the Galaxy S4 smartphone too.

The Octa processor will, naturally bring more power and speed to any handset it sits within, but it is also thought to offer longer-lasting battery life, which will be essential if Samsung has decided to push the screen size and quality up once again.

Some observers seem to think that the S4 will be unveiled at Mobile World Congress next month, but given the kudos the Korean giant picked up for holding its own launch event for the S3, it seems unlikely that itll throw its newest flagship model in with the rest of the crowd in Barcelona next month.

Wed cautiously estimate another late May announcement with an early June launch for the S4.

Read more »