Galaxy S4 Smartphone to go on sale here in May

NEW YORK - The Samsung Galaxy S 4 Android smartphone will be available in Singapore from May, it was revealed yesterday.

The South Korean company's stores here will stock the device, which was unveiled in New York. The three major telcos - SingTel, StarHub and M1 - are also in talks to sell it.

The phone will be given a staggered launch worldwide, with some countries getting it in April. Samsung Asia CEO and president Gregory Lee said: "We haven't decided on pricing. But it's a premium product so it will be at a premium price."

Experts expect the cost bracket will be similar to the Samsung Galaxy S III and Samsung Galaxy Note II - which both sold for $998 and attracted queues outside stores at their sales launches here last year.

At yesterday's 7am unveiling - Singapore time - the company made no mention of Google's mobile operating system, which it has used since launching its first Android phone in 2009.

Instead, the world's largest manufacturer of Android smartphones, which has sold more than 100 million units of its three Samsung Galaxy S devices, focused on the new software features of its latest device. They include gesture controls, enhanced camera functions and lifestyle elements.

Instead of swiping fingers on the screen, users can perform tasks like answering calls and skipping music tracks by simply moving their hands across the screen without touching it physically. When one's finger hovers over an e-mail or text message, or photo album, a pop-up window appears to show more contents.

Software in the new 13MP camera allows users to take photos and remove moving objects, such as strangers walking by.

A "Drama Shot" feature snaps multiple images of a moving subject and displays the various movements in one picture.

Using facial recognition, "Smart Pause" starts and pauses video playback when the user looks at and away from the screen, while "Smart Scroll" tracks a user's face and enables e-mail message and webpage scrolling with a tilt of the phone.

The device packs the first full high-definition Super Amoled screen, sized at five inches and producing a sharp 441 pixel per inch display.

Available in black and white, the device will be launched in the United States, Europe and parts of Asia from the end of April.

Some online critics have already complained about the phone's lack of design innovation but analysts said focusing on software was the right move.

"Samsung's much-improved software skills translate to a wealth of new experiences for their customers," noted Mr Charles Golvin, principal analyst at research company Forrester.

But now that Samsung has caught up with Apple in terms of hardware, it will be looking to move and stay ahead of its rivals.

"As HTC and Sony up the specs of their devices and provide ever better hardware, it becomes more and more important for Samsung to differentiate on software and services," said Mr Jan Dawson, chief telecom analyst at research company Ovum.

The tweaks have already drawn the attention of recruitment manager Wayne Gay, who is looking to switch over from his current iPhone 4S. The 34-year-old said: "The S 4's larger display, better screen resolution and faster processor are the main draw. Plus, the new gesture controls are cool and not found on most phones."

But Android fan and Sony Xperia Z owner Luke Tan wondered if the software tweaks are just gimmicks. He said: "Samsung is keeping the same design, similar to Apple. But Apple is using premium materials for the phones while Samsung continues with the same plastic design. The plastic design of the S 4 lacks the kind of sexy vibe I get from the Sony Xperia Z or HTC One."

Globally, Samsung has sustained its leading position in the smartphone market with a 25.1 per cent share for 2012, according to research firm Strategy Analytics.

It has also led in Singapore since December 2011, based on the number of units sold and revenue, according to research firm GfK Asia.