Mobile phones

Samsung phones
Samsung Chat S3350
Samsung Galaxy Ace
Samsung Galaxy Ace 2
Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus
Samsung Galaxy Fit
Samsung Galaxy Mini
Samsung Galaxy Mini 2
Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Samsung Galaxy S2
Samsung Galaxy S3
Samsung Galaxy S3 4G
Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini
Samsung Galaxy S4
Samsung Galaxy Y
Samsung Tocco Lite 2

Essential Android apps

Next year's smartphone

Galaxy S4: the ultimate smartphone?

HTC One: all-metal Android flagship

Choosing a smartphone
Unlock codes
SAR values
SIM only

RSS News feed

Samsung Galaxy S4 rumours

By Steve Morris, S21, last updated 25th Feb 2013

Remember the Samsung Galaxy S3? That was so 2012! Here we're looking forward to the release of the next Galaxy phone. Rumour, uninformed speculation and gossip. Bring it on!

Latest (25 Feb 2013): Samsung Mobile today announced that it will announce the Galaxy S4 on 14 March in New York.

Tweet

Rumour 1: The next Galaxy Phone will be called the Galaxy S4

Galaxy S. Galaxy S2. Galaxy S3. Why change a naming system if it isn't broken? Well, there's the tricky business of Roman numerals for one thing. Since Samsung has always insisted on calling the phones the SII and SIII, that would make the next phone the SIV, which sounds like "sieve". Could that be a good enough reason to name it something completely different?

Update: OK, the wording in the invitation (Ready 4 the show) indicates that it will be The Galaxy S4. Just don't say sieve.

Rumour 2: It will be the best phone ever released

Yeah, yeah, obviously. Let's move on.

Rumour 3: It will be unveiled at MWC 2013

MWC is a tech trade show that takes place each year in February in Barcelona. Lots of cool stuff gets announced there, and the Korea Times has written that the Galaxy S4 will be announced there in 2013. However the Galaxy S3 was announced at its own special press event, so who knows?

Update: So, Samsung announced at MWS2013 that it will announce the S4 in March. Wheels within wheels, veils behind veils.

Rumour 4: It will have a 5 inch screen

The same report in the Korea Times also suggested the S4 would have a 5 inch screen. That's only a tiny bit larger than the 4.8 inches of the S3. The surprising success of the Galaxy Note with its 5.3 inch screen demonstrated that consumers want bigger and bigger screens. Unless they prefer Apple products.

Update: Sony got there first with the Xperia Z and its 5 inch 1080p screen. Hurry up Samsung, or you're going to lose your edge!

Rumour 5: It will be 4G

The Galaxy S3 is launching a 4G LTE version, so it makes perfect sense that the next phone will also have this feature. Maybe you'll even be able to use it in the UK if the networks get their act together.

Update: Well, everything is 4G now. Except the phone networks. But they're getting there soon.

Rumour 6: It's going to be so thin you won't be able to see it

That's right. Turn it sideways and it will literally disappear from view. The S3 measures just 8.6mm, and now that Apple have trumped this with the 7.6mm of the iPhone 5, the pressure will be on Samsung to start ironing their phones even flatter. Remember that Apple was even prepared to jettison their 30-pin connector design in order to make the new iPhone as thin as science could make it.

Rumour 7: Android Jelly Bean

The S3 runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and should be updated to 4.1 (Jelly Bean) by the end of 2012. Since this is the latest version, it seems a fair bet that this is what the new phone will run. There's a faint possibility of 4.2 (Key Lime Pie) being released in time, but we doubt it.

Update: Still no sign of Key Lime Pie, but Android 4.2 is out. It's still called Jelly Bean though.

Rumour 8: S Voice is going to be better

Love them or hate them, voice-activated command systems like S Voice and Siri aren't going away. Expect to see a lot more of them in the future, and not just on high-end handsets. The first version of S Voice on the Galaxy S3 didn't cause a big stir, but we bet it's going to get smarter at each iteration, until one day we find ourselves asking it, "S Voice, how did I ever manage without you?"

Rumour 9: Someone's going to get sued

This is becoming boringly predictable. Every time a new phone is released, someone gets sued. Apple sues Samsung. Samsung sues Apple. Apple sues Motorola. Nokia sues Apple. Oh, we're bored just typing it.

Rumour 10: There will also be a Galaxy S4 Mini

Although nobody will want one, judging from the performance of the Galaxy S3 Mini.

Rumour 11: It will be a complete sales flop

Ha, ha! We're joking of course. It's going to be massive! But, let's speculate for a moment. What if it's just another quad-core Android phone with a full HD 5 inch display and a groovy camera? What will make the S4 better than the Sony Xperia Z or the HTC One? What can Samsung do to make the S4 truly stand out?

An octo-core processor? A 100 megapixel camera? A battery that will last all week? A case made from unicorn tail mixed with asteroid dust? In short, in a world where every new phone is amazing, what is the next great leap forward?

User comments

Do you know something we don't? Do you have a friend who's second cousin works for Samsung? If you have an unconfirmed rumour or a hunch about the Galaxy S4, please share it with the world below.

Please do not use swear words or offensive language, and please, no advertising!

Comment by KDM from UK on 20th Mar 2013
Hi... this is not a review but apparently the S4 won't be released in the UK with an octo core processor as apparently it won't support 4G. I read this in the Inquirer...not sure how true this is though...

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2256177/samsung-s-galaxy-s4-won-t-have-an-octocore-chip-in-the-uk
Reply

Reply by S21 from UK on 21st Mar 2013
Thanks KDM, sadly this does seem to be the case. The UK will get a quad-core version.

Comment by Ryan from UK on 19th Mar 2013
I love the page in general but I have found this review to be very biased and not, to all sense, reveal the true picture of the Galaxy SIV (SIV from this point onwards).

1/ Polycarbonate is a premium build. Think about the Nokia Lumia 920, 900, 800, etc. They are superb polycarbonate body and therefore the way you phrased it as "The S4 is made of polycarbonate, but don't think that equates to poor build quality" just insults the whole quality!

On the same point, does the iPhone 5 give you the premium feel, yes! Is it premium quality? Hell no!

2/ Clearly the SIV gives quite a lot but it is not water/dust resistant, which can be a big deal these days.

So, I wouldn't say much about this phone at this point because we haven't got the phone yet! I just wanted to point of a few biased points in your review!
Reply

Reply by S21 from UK on 20th Mar 2013
Hi Ryan, thanks for your comments. I think that we are in agreement about the build quality, and that we said the same as you but using different words. As for water resistance, only the Sony Xperia Z offers this feature, so you could apply the same criticism to every phone on the market, except the Sony.

Comment by Steve Richards from england on 17th Mar 2013
I have an s3 and will definately upgrading to a s4, simply because i love watching vudeos and a full hd 1080p screen will make it even better. Oh and air control and smart pause will make it an even better phone then its predocessor.
Reply

Comment by tito from scotland on 15th Mar 2013
I think this is best phone
Reply

Comment by Heidi from South Africa on 14th Mar 2013
Any more info yet????
Today is the day! Yay.
Reply

Reply by S21 from UK on 15th Mar 2013
See our initial review.

Comment by Paul from England on 10th Mar 2013
How can the S4 stand out? Its quite simple, really. Make it a little thicker, so the THICKER battery lasts 2 or more days!!!! PLEASE!!!
Reply

Comment by steve from essex, england on 3rd Mar 2013
so no one will want an S4 mini based on the performance of the S3 mini? why's that? i've got an S3 mini & it's ace- so what you're sying then, is that no one will want a phone that's perfectly good?
Reply

Reply by S21 from UK on 4th Mar 2013
We're talking about the lack of interest in the S3 Mini from consumers. On this site there are close to 100 user reviews of the S3 and one review (yours) of the S3 Mini. That's why we facetiously said nobody will want one.

Comment by Mark from England on 2nd Mar 2013
I wanted the One X or Galaxy S3, and chose the One X. I now want the One or the S4... and will probably go for the One. HTC are the Audi, Samsung are the Ford in my opinion. They all do the same things, it's all down to personal preference in the end. I can't think of a "killer app" type feature which makes me want to buy anything in particular. And I've always rooted and customised my phones, but no more, I need Sky Go!!!!
Reply

Comment by frank from London, UK on 28th Feb 2013
Will it make phone calls?
Reply

Comment by dawn from UK on 30th Jan 2013
Samsung. Can we have a 4.3 inch screen with top end specs please...not every one desiring a smaller screen wants to buy an iphone !
Reply

Comment by Bob from England on 7th Nov 2012
I'm forlornly hoping to get a phone like Captain Kirks communicator.

Then we can say goodbye to mobile networks and all the charges.

At the moment every step up a mobile makes usually results in higher network/data charges.
Reply

Comment by Barry from UK on 23rd Oct 2012
What I'd LIKE it to have is double the battery life of the S3. Now that WOULD be progress!
Reply

Comment by perry from england on 14th Oct 2012
will it cure cancer or famine no its just a block of wood i mean a phone if its not got a 10 megapix camera and 100 gig storage and 3 quadcore proccesors then dont bother ripin the customers off coz you will end up like apple coz thats all they have done with the 4,4s and the 5 same phone just made a bit different from the last
Reply

Comment by Inside Informer from UK on 12th Oct 2012
Believe it or not, having worked closely on developments with the S4 (and S5!) I can report (with discretion only please) that one of the next 2 generations WILL feature, instead of video calling, instant teleportation.
Reply

Reply by Mobile Phones UK from UK on 12th Oct 2012
Oh dear, I heard that Apple already filed a patent on that.

Comment by Thing from UK on 10th Oct 2012
Do most people have any idea how much difference (or not) 0.5 to 1.0mm has on the real world handling and feel of a device? We are soon going to be bragging about the fact that Appsung's latest handset is 0.143mm thinner than last months model. FEEL IT! FEEL MY PHONE! Yeah, now you're jealous and embarrassed by your hideous semi detached house of a phone.
And Apple, take note. Why has it taken you so many years to re design your headphone ear buds? And why are you making it out to be the most unique design revelation ever? (including yet another TV advert) I believe ears have been that shape for at least a thousand years? But well done anyway on your discovery.
Reply

Reply by Barry C from UK on 7th Mar 2013
I can see it now, the apple samsung merger - with a researchand testing arm called Sam-Ple.... ;)

Comment by Nav74 from UK on 9th Oct 2012
Is it worth getting the note two now or await the launch of the S4...ideas?
Reply

Comment by Biron from England on 9th Oct 2012
The one thing i've learnt from this article is that you guys(and gals?) have a sense of humour.
I've learnt sod all about the next galaxy s. I did think it could be called the Galaxy SS. But that sounds slightly Nazi'ist.
I'm also sick of this whole law suit business that's going on. It all seems a bit petty really. It's kinda like grassing somebody up to the teacher if you catch them taking a peek at your class work.
Reply

Comment by Pete from UK on 9th Oct 2012
Its just a phone!!! Get a life you bunch of losers!
Reply

Reply by Mobile Phones UK from UK on 9th Oct 2012
It's our job you see, Pete. We just write about phones all day.

Reply by Mark from england on 10th Oct 2012
Pete get a life well answered Mobile Phones Uk!!