Here we are, matching up these 2 smartphones. Just take a look.These photography big shots are almost more camera than smartphone.

With their focus on photography, Nokia's Lumia 1020 and Samsung's Galaxy S4 Zoom are the smartphone industry's camera big shots.

While both strive for smartphone imaging prowess, these two devices are really very different. It's best to think of the Lumia 1020 as a smartphone with a good camera, and of the S4 Zoom as a point-and-shoot that can make calls.

For now, I match up the phones' specs and lay out some strengths of each. I'll come back and flesh this out with many more comparisons -- including image quality -- after fully testing the Zoom. The Lumia 1020, for its part, has been fully reviewed.

Camera resolution

The Lumia 1020 has a 41-megapixel resolution, which is a bit of a misnomer because photos resolve to 5 megapixels by default. You can peel off the full resolution images manually, through the computer.

Samsung's camera grabs 16-megapixel shots, but its sensor is smaller than on the Lumia 1020. It is easier, however, to get to the full-resolution output. We'll need to wait on a photo quality shootout to decide which ones takes the better photos.

Phone	Nokia Lumia 1020	Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom
OS	Windows Phone 8	Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
U.S. carrier	AT&T	TBA
Camera	41 megapixels	16 megapixels
Zoom	3x digital	10x optical
Sensor size	1/1.5-inch BSI CMOS	1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS
Aperture	F 2.2	F 3.1-F 6.3
Focal range	26mm	24-240mm
Front-facing camera	1.2-megapixels	1.9-megapixels
Video recording	1080p HD rear; 720p HD front	1080p HD rear; 720p HD front
Processor	1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4	1.5GHz dual-core Pega-Dual +XMM6262
Screen	4.5-inch AMOLED	4.3-inch Super AMOLED
Resolution	1,280x768; 331ppi	960x540; 256ppi
Dimensions (inches)	5.1x2.8x0.5	5x2.5x0.61
Weight (ounces)	5.6	7.3
Battery	2,000mAh, embedded	2,330mAh, removable
Internal storage	32GB	8GB
Expansion slot	No	Yes, up to 64GB
4G	LTE	LTE
RAM	2GB	Not listed
Bluetooth version	3.0	4.0
NFC	Yes	Yes

Zoom in on it

The Zoom has all the advantage with a 10x optical zoom that should handily smash the Lumia 1020's 3x digital zoom.

At least that's what we expect for a physical zooming lens. As a general rule of thumb, optical zoom produces higher-quality images than digital zoom, among other things. Of course, we won't know for sure until the test results come in. Stay tuned!

Settings and controls

Apart from high-resolution images and the larger sensor size, Nokia's manual camera controls are a high point. There aren't any preset modes in the default Nokia Pro Cam app, which isn't great (you have to switch camera apps or add lenses,) and the camera doesn't handle close-ups well in automatic settings. However, the sliding controls are convenient for creative snaps.

Google has announced that it will be selling its own version of the Samsung Galaxy S4, the latest Android handset from the Korean giant. 

We've seen the Samsung Galaxy S4, reviewed it, and loved it. It might not offer the design of the HTC One, or be leaps and bounds ahead of the Samsung Galaxy S3 in tech specs, but there's a lot to love about this handset.

With Google making the announcement on stage at Google I/O 2013, it leaves us wondering exactly what the differences between them will be.

1. No TouchWiz

This is the biggest difference: the Samsung Galaxy S4 comes with Samsung's user interface layered over the top. It changes just about everything visually, as well as bringing a huge range of features to the device. The SGS4 Google Edition dumps the lot, landing with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

That means everything will look like Android, behave like Android, just as Google intended. S Beam will become straight Beam, there will be no S Voice, no smart stay or smart scroll, no S Health. It will be clean and unfettered.

2. Updates

Samsung isn't the worst when it comes to pushing out updates, but Google has said that the Samsung Galaxy S4 oogle Edition will get timely updates, just like the Google Nexus devices. That means that when there's a new version or feature in Android, like Android 4.3 or the rumoured next interation Key Lime Pie, you'll be able to get it, without waiting for Samsung as you will with the regular SGS4.

3. Storage

The Samsung Galaxy S4 has been criticised because, although the internal memory is 16GB, you get only 9GB to actually use. Yes, Samsung's software eats a huge chunk. With the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition ditching the software, you'll probably get more like 13GB to use. 

Of course, the regular SGS4 comes with options for 32 or 64GB as well, which you'll not get here. However - and this is a significant point - like the conventional version the SGS4 Google Edition will let you expand the memory via microSD, something that Google's own Nexus 4 won't let you do. The SGS4 GE will likely be the pure Android storage king.

4. Price

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition will be available through Google Play for $649 (£425) unlocked on 26 June, so will work on all networks. The Samsung Galaxy S4 unlocked will cost you anywhere up to around $800. The Nexus 4, on the other hand, costs $349, so there's a substantial difference in pricing.

Unfortunately, there has been no word on pricing or availability outside of the US at the moment, but we hope to see it for sale in the UK too. In the meantime UK users could use a service like Bundlebox to have it shipped to a US address before being sent on to them in the UK. You will have to pay import taxes and courier costs on top of the $649 price tag. 

So which should I get?

Obviously, although the SGS4 and the SGS4 Google Edition offer the same hardware and design, they do each come with a radically different software experience. We can't help feeling that given how good the experience is with the Nexus 4, the SGS4 Google Edition will be a fantastic Android device, bringing you plenty of power, svelte design, a high-resolution display and hopefully a camera experience that's worth getting excited about.

But the other consideration is cost. You won't be getting subsidies or rebates on the Google Edition; you'll have to pay the price upfront. Although the SGS4 Google Edition will offer you a lot of smartphone, it's almost double the price of the current Nexus 4 model that Google offers.

We compare Samsung's Galaxy S4 to the streamlined Nokia Lumia 925 flagship with its PureView camera

Samsung’s latest and greatest, the Galaxy S4, is a bigger, badder flagship with a large 5-inch Full HD 1080p display and a powerful quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor. It features the latest Android 4.2 Jelly Bean software layered with Samsung’s own TouchWiz interface and a host of additional capabilities.

The Lumia 925 is Nokia’s re-invention of the Lumia 920 with a slimmer, lighter body shell, a refined 8.7-megapixel PureView camera for fantastic imaging and a new photo editing suite designed to make everything easier.

Samsung Galaxy S4: Key specs and features

The Samsung Galaxy S4 isn’t the only 5-inch Full HD 1080p handset on the market but it does just as well in the display department as competing flagships. The Super AMOLED screen sports a 1920x1080 pixel resolution at 440 pixels-per-inch (ppi) to produce stunningly sharp, clear imagery with robust colour and contrast, as well as decent brightness.

It’s up there with the Sony Xperia Z, HTC One and LG Optimus G Pro as one of the best screens on the market at present and there’s very little difference in clarity between these market leaders – at over 400ppi you’re looking at consistently excellent clarity which makes a phone very pleasing to use.

Nestled in the engine bay is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core chip clocked at 1.9GHz – that’s the highest speed you’ll currently find this chip clocked at out of the box. It sports 2GB of RAM and an Adreno 320 graphics processing unit (GPU) and all of this contributes to an experience that is very impressive indeed.

Android 4.2 glides along effortlessly and the TouchWiz UI doesn’t hamper this smooth performance one bit. Screen transitions are fluid, there’s no hiccupping from multitasking and generally it’s very satisfying to use. Android 4.2 also has the benefit of Google’s latest set of features such as Google Now and currently boasts over 700,000 apps on Google Play.

Samsung’s 13-megapixel camera is a highly capable setup with a back-illuminated sensor (BSI), LED flash, HDR, 1080p video capture and stabilisation. It also features multi-shot, simultaneous video and image capture and you can use Dual Shot to capture images and video from both the primary camera and the 2-megapixel front-facing secondary (also 1080p video). Samsung provides a number of other capabilities including Sound & Shot (still images with recorded audio), Drama Shot (time-lapse collages) and more besides.

Onboard storage is currently 16GB for the UK market, although you only get to use 8GB, however, the Galaxy S4 has a big advantage in the form of microSD capability for cards up to 64GB. The Galaxy S4 has a sizeable 2,600mAh battery, full Wi-Fi connectivity, 4G and HSPA+ 3G connectivity, NFC, Bluetooth, microUSB, MHL TV-Out, GPS and an infrared port which lets you operate compatible TV sets from the phone.

Nokia Lumia 925: Key specs and features

The two most important things about the Lumia 925 are that it contains an improved version of the Lumia 920’s brilliant PureView camera and that this improved setup has been squeezed into a refined and elegant bodyshell. The Lumia 920 was simply too heavy, thick and bulky to take seriously despite its imaging prowess. Now though, users who are after what is unquestionably the best camera setup in a current smartphone can get it without compromising on a heavy, slab-like handset.

The Lumia 925 features an aluminium surround with attractive decorative detailing near each corner. It’s a highly angular shape just as with earlier Lumia models. The back panel is Nokia’s familiar matte finish polycarbonate and comes in white, black or grey while the surround has a bare metal finish. On the front is a glass fascia with a contoured display panel. The whole thing looks remarkably sharp and stylish and there’s no creak or flex in the chassis, but then we’ve come to expect as much from Nokia on both fronts. What’s significant is just how slinky a device it is – it’s a mere 8.5mm thick and weighs in at 139g.

The camera is based on the same 8.7-megapixel PureView technology as we saw in the Lumia 920. That means a Carl Zeiss lens, a back-illuminated sensor, dual-LED flash, 1080p video capture and optical image stabilisation. But, it has also been improved with a sixth glass lens layer and a new ISO capability which can go as high as 1,200.

The results are incredible to say the least with super-fine detail, crystal clear clarity, excellent low-light performance, rich colour and good levels of contrasts and exposure. The only thing better is probably the Nokia 808 PureView but that runs Symbian which is no longer supported and the phone itself is the size of a small battleship.

Not only has Nokia tweaked the already impressive PureView setup to an improved state, but it’s added a new editing suite alongside the existing Creative Studio and Cinemgraph apps. Nokia Smart Camera, as it’s called, allows you to edit your photos directly from within the gallery view. It’s quite powerful as the multishot capabilities mean you can choose best faces, remove unwanted people or objects, or generate time-lapse images, including the ability to add, remove and set levels of fade for individual frames.

The display hasn’t changed from the Lumia 920 but is still a decent offering. It’s a 4.5-inch AMOLED with a 1280x768 pixel resolution at 332ppi. It’s reasonably sharp, but the end result is of very high quality because of Nokia’s PureMotion HD+ and ClearBlack layers which improve colour depth, contrast, clarity and latency considerably.

Internal hardware and processing power is also the same as it was on the Lumia 920 but just as before this is still more than adequate for running Windows Phone 8 at a decent pace.

Direct spec comparison: Shootout

Device	Samsung Galaxy S4	Nokia Lumia 925
Dimensions	136.6x69.8x7.9mm, 130g	129x70.6x8.5mm, 139g
Display	5-inch Super AMOLED,1920x1080 pixels,440ppi	4.5-inch IPS LCD, Nokia ClearBlack and PureMotion HD+,1280x768 pixels,332ppi
Camera	13-megapixel,LED flash,1080p video	8.7-megapixel PureView,dual-LED flash,Optical stabilisation,1080p video
Storage	16GB/32GB/64GB, microSD up to 64GB	16GB
Processor, RAM, Graphics	1.9GHz quad-core Qualcomm 600,2GB RAM, Adreno 320 GPU	1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4,1GB RAM,Adreno 225 GPU
Operating System,	Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean	Windows Phone 8
UI	TouchWiz	n/a
Connectivity	microUSB,Bluetooth,NFC,Wi-Fi,Wi-Fi Direct,Wi-Fi Hotspot,DLNA,4G,GPS,MHL	Bluetooth,microUSB,NFC,Wi-Fi,Wi-Fi Hotspot,DLNA,GPS,4G,HDMI
Battery	2,600mAh	2,000mAh

Points to consider: Practical use

The Lumia 925 has a much nicer visual design and the materials it’s made from are more rewarding to handle than the Samsung Galaxy S4’s slippery gloss plastic. While the Nokia’s display is excellent and easily one of the best on a Windows Phone the Samsung Galaxy S4’s 440ppi pixel density from a larger display panel make it preferable overall, but particularly makes it a better device for web browsing and consuming multimedia.

Nokia’s Lumia 925 easily wins out when it comes to the camera capabilities, it has many of the same features as the Galaxy S4 in terms of editing options but the delivery is slightly cleaner and more intuitive. But, more importantly the sheer quality of the images and video captured in all conditions is far better than the Galaxy S4 and indeed pretty much anything else on the market.

The Galaxy S4 scores points on its sheer speed and fluidity. It operates smoothly and has high-end capabilities for gaming. Then there’s the fact that it’s running Android.

Windows Phone 8 still has a minimal number of apps and is awash with sub-par examples – that’s not to say you won’t find bad apps on Android but there’s plenty of good stuff to balance it out. 

Windows Phone 8 is a decent operating system if your demands for third party apps aren’t very high, ie: if you’re the sort of person who tends to use fairly basic phone functionality that’s already built-in to the pre-existing apps.

 In this regard, Windows Phone 8 is very colourful and easy to use, just don’t expect to be able to expand on it very much and you’ll get nowhere near the level of Android.

Both phones have 16GB of storage, though the Galaxy S4 has microSD capability for 64GB cards, which the Lumia 925 lacks. Samsung Galaxy S4 32GB and 64GB variants are said to be on the way but there’s no word on when or where they’ll arrive yet.

Conclusion

If you want a phone with a brilliant camera and excellent build quality but aren’t too bothered about installing a load of extra apps and are happy to just use what’s built-in, then the Lumia 925 may well fit you like a glove.

If you want a thriving ecosystem and a greater level of customisation then Android on the Samsung Galaxy S4 remains a better option. The display is fantastic, the camera is reasonably capable (though it can’t touch the Lumia 925’s PureView) and you have the flexibility of cards storage. The Galaxy S4 is also the phone to go for if you want seriously high-end power. The plastic isn’t great but there are third-party replacements available in different finishes, colours and materials.

Samsung's new flagship phone, the Galaxy S4, is packed with a ton of extras –– almost to a fault. 

When the phone first came out, reviewers criticized Samsung for shoving too many complex and glitchy extras in the phone. 

But there are some features in the Galaxy S4 that do work well and could be useful, and you won't find them in the Galaxy S4's chief rival, the iPhone.

Let's take a look at some of the best features in the Galaxy S4 that you won't find in the iPhone.

1. Built-in Infrared Blaster

It has a built-in infrared blaster that can be used as a universal remote to control your TV. (The IR blaster is that little black dot at the top of the phone.) The phone also has a special app that pulls in data from your cable or satellite provider and can suggest shows you may like to watch.

2. Near Field Communication (NFC) Chip

It has a near field communication (NFC) chip that lets your phone talk to other devices with NFC. This means you can use your phone to make mobile payments, swap content like photos between phones just by tapping them together, or pair your phone with a stereo with a tap.

3. Add Extra Storage

You can add extra storage to your Galaxy S4 if you insert a standard Micro SD card. They're pretty cheap too. You can add an extra 32 GB of storage for about $20.
.

4. Replaceable Battery

 It has a replaceable battery, which is a major benefit for some people. No smartphone has a perfect battery, so it's nice to have the option to replace it if you're running low on power.

5. Play Full HD 1080p Videos

 It can play full 1080p HD video, something the iPhone and many other top-tier smartphones still can't do.

6. Large 5-inch display

 It has a 5-inch display, which is a full inch larger than the display on the iPhone 5. If you like a larger display, you're out of luck with the iPhone.

7. Share and Stream Wirelessly on Group Play

You can play games, share photos, and stream the same song with other Galaxy S4 phones wirelessly using an app called Group Play. The app connects you to other phones over a Wi-Fi connection.

8. Lots of Camera Tricks

Its camera app has a lot of neat tricks. For example, you can automatically erase a blurry figure from the background or make your own animated GIFs.

9. Smart Stay Keeps Screen Awake While Reading

A feature called Smart Stay keeps your Galaxy S4's display lit while you're looking at it. It can detect your eyes using the front-facing camera. This is a very useful feature because it can prevent your screen from going dark while you're reading something.

10. Micro USB Plug to Charge and Sync to PC

It uses a standard micro USB plug to charge and sync with your computer. These plugs are much easier to find than Apple's special Lightning port on the iPhone 5.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 has been one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year. Following in the footsteps of its successful predecessors, the S4 is clearly the South Korean manufacturer’s best smartphone. Nevertheless, the Galaxy S4 is not perfect and it faces strong competition. Analysts and reviewers have praised the gadget for its hardware and software features, but criticized it for the lack of ingenuity, mainly in the areas of design and build quality. Now, with the hype slowly but surely dissipating, the attention is shifting towards Samsung’s upcoming flagship phone: the Galaxy Note 3.

Same as the S series, the Note line-up has been a tremendous and rather unexpected success. According to analysts, the oversized display of the original Note was supposed to be the handset’s undoing. In reality, the “phablet” has become one of the main segments of the mobile market, and Samsung clearly wishes to keep the trend going.

But will the Note 3 bring new tech or software features, other than what the Galaxy S4 has already shown us? Well, there’s no way of knowing for sure before the Korean manufacturer makes the official announcement concerning the Note 3. Nevertheless, as with every sought-after smartphone, rumors and leaks have begun pouring in, giving us a glimpse of what the future might hold.

Samsung Galaxy S4 vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 3 – Processing Power

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is currently one of the most powerful smartphones on the market. Undeniably, we expect the Note 3 to surpass its smaller sibling in nearly every aspect.

Hardware-wise, the SGS4 arrives in most markets with a Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor running at 1.9 GHz and an Adreno 320 graphics chip. In certain regions, the Samsung flagship packs PowerVR SGX 544MP3 GPU and the new Exynos 5 Octa 5410 processor. The latter boasts two quad-core chips for a total of eight cores. One of these quad-core units is based on the Cortex-A15 arhitecture and is clocked at 1.6 GHz, while the other quad-core is of Cortex-A7 type, with a frequency of 1.2 GHz.

As for the Note 3, sources at Sam Mobile have revealed that the upcoming “phablet” might pack an Exynos 5 Octa Core regardless of what market it’s going to be retailed in. One model, one processor. Additionally, the CPU will supposedly be accompanied by a Mali 450 graphics chip boasting 8 cores as well.

Galaxy S4 vs. Galaxy Note 3 – Storage and RAM

According to U.S. based customers, one of the biggest gripes in regards to the Galaxy S4 is the fact that, so far, only the 16 GB model has been made available in this particular region. However, Samsung is moving to expand storage options as according to CNET a 32GB model is slated for release for AT&T customers on May 10. We expect the Note 3 to offer multiple storage options, same as the Galaxy S4 does currently outside of U.S.. However, the Korean giant might also consider the idea of increasing the storage capacity of its most affordable Note 3 model. In other words, the phablet could pack 32 GB and up.

As for the amount of RAM, sources are claiming that the upcoming phablet might see an increase to 3 GB of memory, from the amount of 2 GB offered by the Galaxy S4.

Display and Design

There’s no mystery that Samsung’s Note 3 will always have a larger display than its counterpart in the S series, and rumor has it that the size of the panel will be 5.99 inches. Various outlets are reporting that the note 3 will have a "full-HD Super AMOLED display that will sport the same diamond pixel structure as the current Galaxy S4."

From a build and design point of view, there’s a chance that things will become much more interesting with the phablet. Once again, both critics and consumers have shown their disappointment in regards to Galaxy S4′s uninspired design and extensive use of “cheap plastic” materials. This hasn’t been a huge issue in the past, but with devices such as the HTC One (with its all-aluminum unibody case) overshadowing the Samsung flagship, the Galaxy S4 has let a fair number of customers down.

Rumor has it that this might change with the arrival of the Note 3, and that Samsung will switch gears in order to deliver a higher quality product. Allegedly, the manufacturer is now trying to decide if this change in design philosophy is worth it, and is quite possibly looking at various designs.

Closing Lines

Overall, we expect the Note 3 to be a more powerful, better equipped handset than the Galaxy S4. However, the more important question is by how much it will surpass its smaller sibling. We fear that if the upcoming phablet will not usher in a new age in terms of design and build quality, Samsung will lose ground.

The mobile market is clearly moving in a direction where build quality matters, and Samsung must factor this into its decision making. Even more, considering Galaxy Note 3′s almost guaranteed success, if Samsung (the biggest and most successful Android manufacturer) will adopt a new design philosophy, every other manufacturer would likely follow suit.

The manufacturer is expected to unveil the Note 3 in September, at Berlin’s IFA 2013, and that’s probably when we’ll get our answers.

What do you think and what are your expectations from the Samsung Galaxy Note 3? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

The ongoing battle between Apple and Samsung has cost both technically in some ways, but it seems the market now sides with the latter’s wide ranges of Galaxy phones compared with Apple’s iPhones as they see the South Korean firm as “victim.”

But not all thing goes well with Samsung as reportedly Apple is set to move its CPU orders away from the Galaxy S3 maker to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, arguably the biggest chip maker in the world.

It is expected that Apple will consume 200 million mobile chips each year and such move would cost Samsung very dearly in terms of revenue in the manufacturing division.

According to Digitimes, they will move to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company from Samsung as soon as next year.

Does this mean the cost parts of iPhone 6 will be cheaper and Apple could release a much better version of their smartphone compared with last year’s disappointing unveiling?

Or you rather have an inferior smartphone from Samsung tipped to be Galaxy S4 and bear with another sarcastic marketing campaign directed towards the Cupertino-based company?

It’s no secret that Apple and Samsung are far from the best of friends. In fact, it’s fair to say that they don’t like each other at all, one bit, which is probably why Samsung’s entire advertising campaign for any new smartphone seems to revolve around bashing the iPhone more than bigging up the latest and greatest from South Korea, see the latest Galaxy S4 TV ads, for example.

It’s also no doubt why Samsung’s own Siri-like digital assistant, S Voice, has something of a disliking for Apple’s iPhone – and it’s not shy about telling everyone about the fact.

During what must be a slow news day, we were intrigued by a little piece of nugget, and took a hold of an S Voice powered Galaxy S4 and asked it the semi-obvious question: "have you ever used an iPhone?"

Without skipping a beat, Samsung;s just released handset set the record straight in terms that stop just short of being downright petty. The answer?

"No, I have standards."

Well, that’ll be a resounding ‘no’ then!

Apple’s own Siri has been known to offer up some choice responses to odd questions in the past, but Samsung’s particularly blunt stab at Apple does wreak a little of childishness. Granted, it’s all a little tongue in cheek, but should multinational, hugely successful companies like Apple and Samsung really be stooping to such levels? Probably not, no.

Regardless, Samsung will sell millions of Galaxy S4 smartphones the world over, and we suspect the number of people asking this particular question will be somewhat on the low side. We do wonder what other leading questions can be asked of S Voice though, so if you find any let us know via the usual methods – you may just get your name in lights!

Samsung S Voice is the company’s answer to Siri, and can go off to search the internet based on voice questions posed of it, hence this semi-amusing response. The usefulness of systems like S Voice and Siri is still being debated by most, and we can’t remember the last time we used either, but that won’t stop the two giants duking it out in the digital assistant space.

If only because it gives both another avenue through which to bash each other.

(via: AndroidCentral)