Samsung is taking a page from Apple with the introduction of a gold version of its Galaxy S4 smartphone.

"Introducing the new #GalaxyS4 Gold Edition - for a style that's uniquely yours!" Samsung said on its Saudi Arabia Twitter feed. "Elegance is a touch of gold," reads the tagline above a photo of a pink S4 edged in gold.

Introducing the new #GalaxyS4 Gold Edition - for a style that's uniquely yours! pic.twitter.com/XkFu4zceHT
— SamsungMobileArabia (@SamsungMobileME) September 25, 2013

On the Samsung Gulf Facebook page, meanwhile, the company tipped two gold options: Gold Brown or Gold Pink.

In accompanying photos, the smartphones had gold around their edges and the home button. Only the front of the devices were shown, however, so it's unclear if the rear of the smartphones are gold or the brown and pick colors found on the front.

No mention of the device was made on the company's other Twitter and Facebook accounts, suggesting that it might be limited to the Middle East at the moment. The company's United Arab Emirates website, however, currently only lists a white or black option.

The news comes several days after Apple introduced a gold version of its iPhone 5s smartphone, which flew off the shelves and helped Cupertino move 9 million iPhones over the weekend.

Samsung has introduced several variations on its flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone, from the rugged Galaxy S4 Active and the smaller Galaxy S4 Mini to the camera-focused Galaxy S4 Zoom. There have also been other color options, like purple.

Few hours ago, Samsung confirmed that it plans to unveil a curved smartphone sometime next month; no word on color options.

Samsung and AT&T have made the Aurora Red version of the Galaxy S4 now available. The 16GB version is identical to the black and white versions, and will have the same 2GB of RAM, 1080p display and Snapdragon 600 under the glass. It's also priced the same, $200 with a new two-year contract or $640 if you buy it outright.

The Galaxy S4 is one of the years best selling phones, and has broken just about every sales record Samsung keeps track of. With 10 Million units sold in black or white, this is your chance to get your hands on one with a little more flair. 

Source: Samsung

Samsung has just started to roll out a new Software Update for the Galaxy S4.

 Galaxy S4′s (Exynos + Qualcomm) first batch of firmwares suffered from a lot of issues, and many people complained about these issues to Samsung and on various forums. Thankfully, the new software update brings a ton of improvements, enhancements and fixes over the initial firmwares of Samsung’s flagship device.

As you may know, the 16GB variant of the Galaxy S4 comes only with 9.15GB of user accessible memory in which the user installs all his/her apps. The new update addresses this issue by giving the user the functionality to move apps to SD card and increasing the available storage to 9.23GB. This should solve customers’ complain about low user accessible storage. This is one of the enhancements in the update, rest of them are listed below.

Improvements and fixes in the new Software Update:

-New Camera firmware
-Smearing issue has been fixed (Purple effect while scrolling)
-Smart Pause Toggle
-Move Apps to SD Card
-HDR Video (Can record HDR video)
-Semi-transparent status bar
-New Icons in Settings
-Secure boot status (About Phone)
-Increase legibility (Display) (New feature)

Currently, the new software update is only available for the Snapdragon-powered Galaxy S4 (GT-I9505) but our insider has confirmed that the new software update will be coming to the Exynos-powered Galaxy S4 (GT-I9500), as well. As of this moment, Samsung has only rolled out the new software update in Germany, we hope other countries will follow soon.

Firmware details:
Model: GT-I9505
Country: Germany
Version: Android 4.2.2
Changelist: 768421
Build date: Wed, 29 May 2013 16:05:23 +0000
Product Code: DBT
PDA: I9505XXUBMEA
CSC: I9505OXABMEA
MODEM: I9505XXUBMEA

The update is 365.67 MB in size and you can update your device via Samsung KIES or via FOTA (Firmware-Over-The-Air). Make sure to charge your device before performing the upgrade. 

Screenshots:

Smartphone theft is out of control, especially when such theft leads to murder. The Huffington Post has reported that New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has requested representatives from Google, Apple, Samsung, and Microsoft attend a summit next week to discuss the problem.

The upcoming LoJack solution for Android devices is the kind of solution that Schneiderman is asking

for, and I hope to see this in cell phones other than the Galaxy S4 in the near future.

There are a number of software solutions that let you wipe or track your iPhone, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, or Windows Phone. But after a hard reset or wipe, a thief can take your phone to be sold or used. Something more effective is needed to stop this crime that affected about 1.6 million Americans last year.

Unlike a software solution only, the Absolute Software LoJack system is both a hardware and software solution. Starting with the Samsung Galaxy S4, Absolute's persistence technology is built into the firmware of the S4 and cannot be removed, even if the device is restored to factory settings.

The Galaxy S4 has the technology built in now, but the necessary Absolute software solution is not yet available. When it is available, you will be able to remotely lock your device, locate it, erase the data from the device and storage card, or have the Absolute Investigation and Recovery Services Team attempt to recover it.

The Recovery Team is made up of experts from law enforcement, the FBI, the Marines, the US Army, and other government positions. To date, they have recovered 28,000+ devices (laptops and PCs) in over 95 countries.

The service starts at just $29.99 for a one- or four-year subscription. If you live in an area where smartphone crime is rampant, then you may want to consider a S4 and this LoJack service.

As LoJack continues to support more devices, or manufacturers step up to the plate, let's hope smartphone crime becomes a thing of the past.

Samsung enthusiasts may love the Galaxy S4 smartphone just the way it is, as the current iteration of the device sold more than 10 million handsets in just one month. However, there will soon be a number of special versions of the S4 that cater to users’ specific needs.

Whether you prefer a smaller, cheaper smartphone, or a tougher, more rugged version that's able to keep up with your active lifestyle -- or a cleaner and more customizable operating system, or a more colorful handset -- whatever you prefer, there’s a probably a Galaxy S4 for you. Here’s a rundown of all of the members of the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone family.

Original Samsung Galaxy S4: Exynos/ Snapdragon/ Korean Variants

Currently the most popular smartphone and only variant released so far, the original Samsung Galaxy S4 hit the market in late April to a tremendous response. Depending on your region, you can buy variants of the Galaxy S4 with different processors. The Galaxy S4 with Samsung’s Exynos 5 Octa chipset is largely available in Asia and Africa, while the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor variant is largely available in America and Europe. Eventually, some countries like Poland, Germany and the U.K. will receive the Exynos variant. Korea-based Samsung reserved a special Exynos variant for its own country; in that smartphone, the processor clocks in at a lightning fast 1.8GHz and also has LTE capability.

Other than the aforementioned, all variants of the Galaxy S4 are identical, featuring a 5-inch 1920 x 1080 Full HD Super AMOLED Display; 2GB of RAM; 16GB, 32GB and 64GB internal storage options; a 13-megapixel camera and 2-megapixel front-facing camera; and a 2,600mAh Li-Ion battery. Connectivity options include 3G and 4G LTE as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC. The Galaxy S4 runs the Android 4.2.2. Jelly Bean operating system and includes a number of special features such as smart scroll, smart pause, hand gesture control and group play, among many others.

Samsung Galaxy S4 mini

Samsung announced the Galaxy S4 mini on Thursday and is expected to hold an official launch for the device at its Premiere 2013 event in London on June 20. Designated as a mid-range device for the Galaxy S4 line, the mini will be smaller and less expensive than its flagship cousin. Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S4 mini will feature a 4.3-inch 960 x 540 qHD Super AMOLED display, 1.5GB of RAM, 8GB of internal memory, with 5GB available for personal use and microSD support for up to 64GB of memory.

We will also see the Galaxy S4 mini packed with an 8-megapixel camera with TouchWiz technology, a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n connectivity, Bluetooth 4.0, 4G LTE, and NFC for the LTE version. Some variants of the Galaxy S4 mini will feature dual SIM support. All variants will run Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with the TouchWiz UI on top.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 mini will also feature a 1.7GHz dual-core processor; however, Samsung has not indicated which manufacturer will produce the chipset. Current rumors suggest that the Galaxy S4 will be outfitted with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset, but earlier rumors suggested it will have a Samsung Exynos 5210 CPU. As no such chip exists, or at least no such chip has been unveiled, we believe that Samsung may use its Exynos 5 Dual chipset, which, like the Snapdragon 400, clocks in at 1.7GHz. We may also see Samsung release different processor variants for the Galaxy S4 mini as it did with the Galaxy S4.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active has not yet been announced but its specs have been leaked and we know that it will be a significantly sturdier version of the best-selling smartphone. The Active is reported to be rugged, with water and dust resistance, and will run the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 chipset and all other standard specs of the Galaxy S4. Recently, tipster @evleaks shared what appears to be official photos of the AT&T Galaxy S4 Active, which features a metallic back casing and reinforcements and three front buttons, instead of the singular home button seen on the original Galaxy S4. The Galaxy S4 Active will reportedly also be available in teal, while other leaks have shown a device encased in red. There is no word on when the Galaxy S4 Active will be released; however, many expect that it will be unveiled at the Samsung Premiere event on June 20.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition

Announced at the Google I/O conference keynote in May, the Samsung Galaxy S4 “Google Edition,” runs on a stock version of the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system, completely devoid of the Samsung TouchWiz interface. It is also referred to as the “Galaxy S4 Nexus” due to the fact that it will bring a user experience similar to what is seen on Nexus brand devices. The Google Edition Galaxy S4 will be available starting June 26 on the Google Play Store exclusively in the U.S., and will sell for $649 for the carriers T-Mobile and AT&T. It will also come with 16GB of internal storage and with LTE support, and it will will ship bootloader unlocked and automatically receive system updates directly from Google.

A developer’s edition of sorts, the Samsung Galaxy S4's features will not only allow developers to easily root and modify their S4 handsets, but users will also have more of the device’s internal storage available for personal use, without the large amount of bloatware installed by Samsung.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Developers Edition

Developer’s Editions of the Samsung Galaxy S4 recently surfaced on the Samsung's official online shop for the carriers AT&T and Verizon. The variants featuring 16GB of internal storage will sell bootloader unlocked for $649 as AT&T and Verizon are the only U.S. carriers that sell their original Galaxy S4 handsets with locked bootloaders. Unlike the Google Edition, this variant does not run stock Android. However, it will likely be a good option for Verizon customers who want their bootloaders unlocked legally, as developers have already figured out methods of bypassing the bootloader on both AT&T- and Verizon-powered Galaxy S4 handsets. Many suspect developers for AT&T will prefer the Google Edition because it runs stock Android.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Colors

Samsung has begun offering its original Galaxy S4 in a multitude of colors to appeal to different tastes. Currently, the Blue Arctic version is available in Japan and the Red Aurora version will be available on AT&T in the U.S. starting June 14. Brown Autumn and Purple Mirage versions will also be released at some point. Owners can also have their Galaxy S4 handsets customized and plated in 24ct. Gold, Rose Gold or Platinum courtesy of the U.K. company GoldGenie for a cool €2,000 or $2,586.

More than 10 million units of the smartphone have been sold since its April 27 launch....

SINGAPORE – Samsung today announced that less than a month after its launch, global sales of its Galaxy S4 smartphone has passed 10 million units. Launched globally on April 27, the Korean company estimates that the phone is selling at a rate of four units per second.

In comparison, sales of the Galaxy S III reached the 10-million mark 50 days after its launch last year, while the Galaxy S II took five months and the Galaxy S seven months to reach the same milestone.

“On behalf of Samsung, I would like to thank the millions of customers around the world who have chosen the Samsung GALAXY S4,” said Mr J K Shin, CEO and President of the IT and Mobile Communications Division at Samsung.

Samsung GALAXY S4, which features the world’s first Full HD Super AMOLED display and a 13-megapixel camera, is currently available in more than 110 countries.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 has proved to be immensely popular, as about 10 million of the smartphones have been sold worldwide since its release about a month ago. However, many new Galaxy S4 owners have faced various issues with their handsets, with one of them being significant battery drain.

Initial reports on problems with the Samsung Galaxy S4 included complaints about the smartphone’s massive 2,600 mAh lithium-ion battery: Some users described the batteries as getting drained overnight, with charges of less than 50 percent remaining by morning.

These cases may be isolated, but they can also be easily prevented when Galaxy S4 owners take the proper steps. I have also discovered a host of other battery-saving techniques through research, including inquiries made of owners of other Samsung Galaxy S series devices.

Missed our first list of Samsung Galaxy S4 battery-maximizing tips? You can find them at "12 SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 BATTERY SAVING AND BETTER PERFORMANCE TIPS" And here are five more ways to maximize battery power.

1. Limit The Use Of GPS And Location Services

GPS is a great tool to help you find your way around and to optimize your experiences with various applications. However, a Samsung Galaxy S4 handset constantly pulling GPS signals will experience significant battery drain. GPS is one of those features that can be effectively turned on only when needed to conserve battery power. Obviously, GPS is used by such apps as Google Maps and many others that require it to pinpoint a user’s location for verification and other purposes. While such apps will be disabled with GPS and Wi-Fi turned off, both are quickly accessible through the Galaxy S4’s drop-down menu. Keeping GPS and Wi-Fi among the top five options on your special-features shortcut menu will make them among the easiest to access for quick enabling and disabling.

2. Limit Home-Screen Widgets, Live Wallpapers And Fancy Ringtones

Widgets, live wallpapers and fancy ringtones are great ways to customize your Samsung Galaxy S4 to your taste, but if you wish to use them, then you will definitely have to sacrifice battery power. Your battery life will fare much better should you do without some or all of these add-ons. I have not added any widgets to my Galaxy S4 handset and have even removed all the standard ones, except for the T-Mobile TV, Google Search and weather widgets. I don’t use live wallpapers, and I haven’t customized my ringtones as I have found benefits in keeping my ringer on the vibrate setting. However, you don’t have to be as drastic on your own smartphone: Pick one or two of three add-on options, and don’t go overboard with the ones you choose. For example: If you forgo live wallpapers, then you can have just a few of the widgets you deem most important on your home page, and have customized ringtones for a few important people.

3. Put Device On Airplane Mode When Out Of Signal Range

Most people don’t realize that when their Samsung Galaxy S4s -- or any handsets, for that matter -- are out of service range, such as when they are underground in a subway station, the smartphone will send out stronger signals in attempts to achieve a service connection. Differences in battery power may not be noticeable at first, but the battery drain could mean the difference between a warning battery and a critically low battery. Conserve battery power by putting your Galaxy S4 in Airplane mode when in areas where you know you cannot receive a signal. Airplane mode can be accessed by pressing down the power button on your handset as if you are turning it off or through the special-features shortcut menu.

4. Invest In An External Battery

Keeping a spare battery on hand is a great way to maintain full function of your Samsung Galaxy S4 handset in the event that your original battery loses power. While many people recommend using an official battery, such as the recently released Mugen Power 2750 mAh extended battery for the Samsung Galaxy S4, which sells for $44.50, a savvy owner should be able to navigate retailers such as Amazon and eBay for cheaper variants. Another option is the Zaggsparq portable battery and charger, which hold between one and four charges depending on the model. The Zaggsparq plugs in to the Galaxy S4 handset via a USB connection.

5. Unplug Your Handset Once It Is At 100 Percent Charge

Your Samsung Galaxy S4 handset will notify you when it is time to discharge because it is at full power. Leaving your handset charging longer than needed can wear away battery power over time. A good rule to follow to leave your Galaxy S4 discharged overnight (having used some or all of the tips above to conserve battery power), and charge your battery during the day when you can easily check to see whether your battery is at full power and ready to be discharged. Charging your phone overnight is a bad option as the battery should need only a hour or two at most to charge fully, after which the battery will be receiving power that it can’t store. Overcharging can lead to quicker battery depletion and quicker battery death in the long run.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active Pictures have leaked online ahead of the handset’s official unveiling, with the S4 spinoff seen sporting a two-tone ruggedized form factor.

Repeatedly rumoured to be one of many varying takes on the Samsung Galaxy S4 flagship handset, claimed images of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active have leaked for the first time, showcasing a handset built to stand up to all manner of knocks, drops, bumps and dunks.

Featuring what appears to be a red, brushed metal body with black rubber or soft touch plastic end caps, the leaked Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is, like the rival Sony Xperia Z, believed to be water and dust proof as well as being sturdy enough to face considerable falls unscathed.

A far step away from the heavily criticised plastic construction of the recently released Samsung Galaxy S4, the mooted S4 Active appears to be pairing a more lifestyle friendly design with a familiar collection of innards, with the handset tipped to host the same 1.9GHz quad-core processor as its market leading sibling.

Also set to run Google’s Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS, the leaked Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is, like the S4 before it, set to feature a 5-inch Full HD, 1080p touchscreen display although it is currently unclear if this will be the exact same Super AMOLED offering as its predecessor.

One area where the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active looks set to come up short on the original S4, however, is on the camera front, with the rugged Active tipped to feature an 8-megapixel rear-mounted offering.

Although far from official, the latest Samsung Galaxy S4 Active leaks come amid a flurry of reports surrounding S4 spinoffs. Whist the Active is reportedly being prepped to tackle more demanding lifestyles, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, S4 Zoom and S4 Mega have all also been tipped for release.

It is not currently known when, or indeed if, a Samsung Galaxy S4 Active release date is to be held. In the meantime, see how to get the best out of your handset with our Samsung Galaxy S4 tips and tricks.

Via: GSM

Is Samsung’s Galaxy S4 really “a precious stone glittering in the dark” or is it just an overrated slab of plastic with a nice display? Consumer Reports weighed in on this important controversy on Monday and declared that the Galaxy S4 really does live up to the hype and should now be considered the best smartphone in the world. Overall Consumer Reports found that “the S4 delivered top-notch performance in the most critical areas of our tests, including the camera,” and was particularly impressed with the device’s display that it said “is sensitive enough to use with gloves on — handy during cold weather.” The publication also praised the device’s multitasking capabilities and said that watching videos while checking email on the Galaxy S4 was a snap. Needless to say, Samsung will likely be pleased with such a high-profile endorsement, although the company would still likely sell record numbers of the Galaxy S4 even if Consumer Reports had panned the device.

[More from BGR: Is Google’s greatest strength the freedom to fail?]

Samsung Galaxy S4 WiFi problems are plaguing users with D-Link routers who cannot keep a connection with the flagship Samsung smartphone.

The Galaxy S4 WiFi problems appear to be limited to a few D-Link brand routers and doesn’t appear to be limited to a specific carrier version of the Galaxy S4.

Samsung confirmed they are aware of the problem in a statement to ZDNet, but it doesn’t appear that Samsung is working on a fix. Samsung states,

This is a problem caused by firmware stored on a specific access point in D-Link routers. Customers should update their firmware to the latest version or reboot the access point.

While most of the issues appear to be limited to the D-Link DIR-655 and DIR-855 routers, others may be affected. There are ways to attempt to fix the problem without leaving home.

How to Fix Galaxy S4 WiFi Problems

Users who cannot connect to WiFi on the Samsung Galaxy S4 or who connect and then quickly lose their connection can take some steps to fix the Galaxy S4 WiFi issues. Several of these fixes are  possible without spending any money, but if that fails users may need to invest in a new router.

Reboot the Router

The easiest fix to Galaxy S4 WiFi problems is a router reboot. This isn’t a guaranteed fix, but it’s the simplest step so we recommend doing it first.

Head over to where your router is located, find the power cord and unplug it for at least 30 seconds. After a short wait, plug it back in and see if that fixes the issue.

If not, the next fix will update the router, which is more likely to fix the problem.

Update the Router

The next step to fix Samsung Galaxy S4 WiFi problems is to update the router firmware. This process is straightforward, but you will need to know your router password and user name. This is not the password you use to connect a device, but the administrator password.

Here are the directions to upgrade the D-Link DIR-655 firmware, one of the common routers with Galaxy S4 WiFi issues.

Budget 15 to 30 minute for this process, though it may go quicker. Other users will lose a connection briefly while the router installs the new firmware and reboots, so warn other users.

Get a New Router

Some users report that despite trying multiple updated router firmwares the Galaxy S4 WiFi problems exist. If the previous steps don’t work it’s a good idea to invest in a good new router. It seems unlikely that Samsung is prepping a fix for this issue, and D-Link or Samsung updates could take a while to arrive.

Users can pick up a new router for $50 to $150 dollars depending on the features needed. While this isn’t pocket change, it will help users avoid popping over mobile data limits.

We recommend Belkin, Netgear and ASUS routers for speed and reliability, but recommend doing a little investigating before picking a new router.

Source: Gottabemobile

It seems the Samsung Galaxy S4 has been rooted. Android tinkerers claim to have worked out how to open up the new smart phone's software to add new features -- but not the quad-core version we're getting in the UK.

Rootin' tootin' Android experts at XDA have published the necessary files for rooting the S4, and a guide to talk you through the process of unlocking its hidden powers -- but it only works with the Exynos 5 Octa eight-core version of Samsung's new flagship phone.

That won't be much use to anyone who gets their hands on the quad-core model destined for Britain, the US, and other countries around the world. Over here we're getting the S4 with a four-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor instead, reportedly due to shortages of the new Exynos chip. No doubt a method for rooting the quad-core model is on the way.

To learn more about rooting, click here.

Will you be rooting your S4? What do you think of the fact we're missing out on the eight-core processor, depending where you live? Tell me your thoughts in the comments.

Style and appearance are some of the features when considering which handset to purchase. Whether it be a smooth crystal color or a wacky and tacky bubblegum colors, the purchase would be dependent on the likeness of the style. Nowadays, the more stylish and elegant a handset looks, the better and more preferable it would be for the market. This may be why the more colors and styles there can be, the more options there will be introduced to the market which will give the company the higher probability of earning more. This is what Docomo did when the company introduced a new color for their version of Samsung Galaxy S4.

Docomo Company: New Color for Samsung Galaxy S4

A company based in Japan introduced a new color makeshift for Samsung Galaxy S4. While most know that Galaxy S4 can be purchased in colors White Frost and Black Mist, Docomo launched a new color in the market, the Arctic Blue Galaxy S4. The Samsung Galaxy S4 SC-04E is said to be only available in Japan. Launched last May 15, 2013, the Arctic Blue Galaxy S4 caught Japan in a swirl. Its availability in the other parts of the world though like Europe and US is still unknown.

The popularity of the Arctic blue Galaxy S4 expanded from Japan to the whole world made the web users to buzz around on the probability of having one for their own.

Samsung Galaxy S4 SC-O4E Arctic Blue Features

Using Snapdragon 600 Quad-core 1.9 GHz with 2GB RAM, Galaxy S4 Arctic Blue has an internal storage capacity of 32GB and up to 64GB memory card capacity. Using the latest Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2, it has two cameras like the other Galaxy S4 handsets. The rear camera is around 13.2 megapixels while the front facing camera is 2.1 megapixels. Arctic Blue Galaxy S4 has the same specs and features as the other S4 handsets, but what makes it special is how elegant it looks to the market. With the shiny and smooth blue elegant look that this specific Samsung Galaxy S4 has, lots of people would want to grab a hold of the said handset. In addition to that, the fact that most people have black or white handsets, having the arctic blue one would be great.

So Google didn't announce the follow up of the Nexus 4, which many were expecting to see at the Google I/O event. No Nexus 5 then although one might wonder whether the special edition Galaxy S4 that Hugo Barra announced was not just that.

The very reason, one might posit, as to why the Nexus range was originally unveiled by Google was to make sure that its partners produce competitive hardware of the highest quality. The Nexus One was one of these, followed by the Nexus S, the Galaxy Nexus and the Nexus 4.

Once these conditions are met, there shouldn't be any more impetus for having a dedicated smartphone bearing the Nexus moniker. The Galaxy S4, it seems, hit the right spot as Barra went on record saying "Google's take on Android - and it feels really awesome on the Galaxy S4".

There's also the fact that Samsung's newest top of the range smartphone has a 5in display diagonal, which makes it the ideal candidate for the Nexus moniker.

In the end though, the Nexus spirit hinges primarily on the fact that the OS should be as unbridled as possible. Which is ironic given that Samsung's been betting very heavily on differentiating itself from its rivals through software USPs (Smart Stay, TouchWiz, S Health, AirView, Knox etc).

Samsung will unlikely change its marketing strategy even if the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition becomes a massive commercial hit as it would serve its rivals more than itself.

Samsung launched the Samsung Galaxy S4 with much hype and fanfare. Being the flagship model of one of the top phone-makers today, the phone garnered enough attention and has won the label of the ‘Fastest Smartphone’. No surprise as the Samsung Galaxy S4 comes with an eight core or Octa Exynos processor. 

And looks like Samsung is now contemplating milking their Galaxy S4 cash cow for all it’s worth. Rumours suggest that Samsung is planning a series of devices all modelled after the Samsung Galaxy S4. While all the phones to be launched under the Samsung galaxy S4 series will bear the S4 moniker, they will all come with different functions and be targeted at different markets. 

The first one to be rumoured before the launch of the Samsung galaxy S4 is the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini. While initially the rumours suggested that the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini will launch along with the Samsung galaxy S4, the rumours were soon put to rest. However, the rumours have once again revived with news of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini set to be launched by the end of this month. There have even been image leaks surrounding the phone. As the name suggests, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini will be a smaller version of the now flagship model. It will come with features similar to the Samsung Galaxy S4 but will be priced in a more budget manner. It was the launch of Samsung Galaxy SIII Mini that set the tongues rolling about a Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini version.

The next in line is Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom. That the Samsung galaxy S4 comes with a brilliant camera is under no doubt. Samsung introduced some brilliant camera software like dual shot mode, GIF images and images with sound with the Samsung Galaxy S4. However, Samsung Galaxy Zoom is a camera-intensive phone which will take these features to the next level. Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, the camera-special phone will be is expected to come with a 16 MP camera and amazing features for photography. According to reports leaked by SamMobile, Samsung will announce the phone as early as this month and the phone is expected to go on sale latest by July. 

Samsung Activ is Samsung Galaxy S4’s rugged variant. Designed to take on Sony’s Xperia Z, the phone is said to be waterproof and dust-proof. While images of the phone are yet to be seen online, the phone specifications and Bluetooth tests have already leaked. The phone will be the first rugged smartphone by Samsung if the rumours prove to be true.

Samsung, the once struggling South Korean manufacturer, shot to instant renown with their range of Galaxy smartphones and strategic planning in terms of offerings, market sensibilities and price-points. Samsung’s biggest success was and perhaps continues to be their Galaxy range of phones. When the company ditched their Bada platform for Google’s favoured Android OS no one dreamed that Android would be their ladder to fame.

It was with the launch of the original Samsung Galaxy that Samsung tasted their first success. The downfall of then market leader Nokia has long begun but Samsung Galaxy smartphone pretty much sealed the last nail in Nokia’s coffin. After the launch of their Samsung Galaxy flagship, Samsung took the Galaxy suffix to a complete series of phones and expanded their offerings. They did not restrict the Galaxy range of phones to just the premium, high-end offerings but provided phones in different market segments.

India being a price-sensitive market quickly took to Samsung’s offerings in the entry-level and mid-range segments. Samsung’s brilliant marketing no doubt aided the process. 

However, is Samsung stretching its luck with the gold-laying Galaxy chicken too faR? While each of the new devices, Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, Activ and Zoom might sound impressive, is there any real need for the devices? The market has reached the point of saturation with Samsung devices and the new, almost forced phones might not be welcome. 

While Samsung Galaxy S4 is a commercial success, we hope Samsung restricts the S4 prefix to the flagship and does not carry on their seemingly wild ride to experiment with smartphones in each and every category, irrespective of price-points. 

TecTiles 2 for the Galaxy S4 are available now from Samsung, everywhere else in June

Samsung TecTiles 2 are now available for those of you who have Galaxy S4 smartphones. We reported a few weeks ago that the Samsung Galaxy S4 wasn't compatible with the original TecTiles that Samsung launched last year to coincide with the Galaxy S3 launch. For those of you unfamiliar with TecTiles or the new TecTiles 2, they are NFC tags that can be programmed to make your device perform certain tasks. For example, you can program a TecTile to automatically open up Foursquare for check-ins, or open messages so you can send a message to a friend.

You can get the TecTiles 2 NFC tags from Samsung.com now, or wait until June when they become available elsewhere, like your local carrier stores or Best Buy. Here's Samsung's short spiel about TecTiles 2:

Samsung TecTilesTM 2 are the next generation and evolution of TecTiles, programmable NFC sticker tags that allow users to automate everyday functions of a smartphone through a single tap. TecTiles 2, paired with the new Samsung TecTileTM app, allow consumers to program the tag for various functions, including sending text messages, silencing the phone when entering a meeting, playing a specific song and dimming the display before going to bed.

The nice and probably most obvious thing about TecTiles 2 is the automation process, but one has to wonder whether the cost justifies it. When it was announced around this time last year, many called it, like many other Samsung features, a gimmick. The interesting thing I've come to learn with Samsung products, whether it's the Galaxy S4 or TecTiles 2, is that there is always a subset of users or a niche group that lives and dies by Samsung's features. I may say that TecTiles 2 seems like a gimmick, but then I'd meet people that would say something like, "Are you kidding? I use them every single day and I don't know what I'd do without them!" To each her own.

Let us know if you're interested in picking up TecTiles 2. We do wonder how often regular folks use these things.

Remember, they're available today for $14.99 for a pack of five from Samsung.com or other retailers some time in June

Samsung has acknowledged an issue that can cause its recently-launched flagship Galaxy S4 handset to fail to connect to, or stay connected to, some wi-fi networks.

Handset maker Samsung has acknowledged that there is a problem using the Galaxy S4 on some wi-fi networks that use D-Link routers.

The company confirmed hat the Galaxy S4 had problems connecting to, or staying connected to wi-fi networks that used some D-Link model routers.

"This is a problem caused by firmware stored on a specific access point in D-Link routers. Customers should update their firmware to the latest version or reboot the access point," a Samsung spokeswoman said.

Samsung Galaxy S4 owners have taken to a number of online forums to complain of the problem, which seems to most often affect D-Link model DIR-655 and DIR-855 routers, among others. Users in a number of different countries, or with different mobile operators and broadband providers, complained of the same issues.

"Is anyone experiencing wi-fi connection problems with the S4? Picked mine up yesterday and when I connected to my home wi-fi, it would connect fine and work for a few minutes then completely drop the connection. I would need to disable and re-enable wi-fi for it to connect again only to have it drop after a few minutes again. This has been going on all night yesterday and all day today," Will822 wrote on Samsung's GalaxyS4forums.net.

Other users also reported similar issues, which seem to be able to be mitigated by changing the security encryption type to TPK, which can have a detrimental effect on other devices connected to the network.

"Have tried several firmware [builds] for the router, all with the same problem. If the fault lies with D-Link or Samsung I don't know, but the S4 is the first to have these problem," user Brochs wrote on the XDA Developers Forum.

"Same problem with a DIR-655. The router keeps locking up, even on a wired connection I can't get anywhere until I turn off the wi-fi on the GS4," eshomsky wrote, also on the XDA Developers forum.

"I confirm the same problem with a Samsung S4 and a D-LINK DIR-855. Setting the cypher type to 'TKIP' solves it for Samsung but it breaks it for an older Sony laptop," EnF70 wrote on the XDA forum.

D-Link acknowledged the issue and said it was actively looking into the cause of the problems.

"Recently, a limited number of customers have reported connection issues between their D-Link wireless router, including the DIR-855 and DIR-655, and the Samsung Galaxy S4 handset. Problems include intermittent disconnection from the wireless network, especially while browsing YouTube. Other devices continue to function normally. The problem has also been reported with wireless routers from other manufacturers, "a spokesman for the company told ZDNet.

"D-Link is actively researching this issue now to determine the cause."

The company suggested that customers using the DIR-655 or the DIR-855 could mitigate the problem in the meantime by logging into the web interface and disabling the Wireless Multimedia Extensions (WME, also known as Wi-Fi Multimedia or WMM).