Filip Novotny The Korean manufacturer Samsung showed off the new Galaxy S5 smartphone for the first time yesterday. This year's flagship among Android smartphones offers, among other things, a slightly updated look, a waterproof design and a fingerprint reader. It will also be complemented by the new Gear Fit bracelet, which is significantly different from the previously offered Galaxy Gear watches.
According to Samsung, in the case of the Galaxy S5, it did not try to make revolutionary (and perhaps pointless) changes that some users expected. It does not offer a very different design, unlocking with a retina scan or an Ultra HD display. Instead, it will retain a design very similar to its quad predecessor and only add a few new features. Several of them, such as unlocking the phone using fingerprints, have already been seen on competing devices, while some are completely new.
The design of the Galaxy S5 differs significantly from its predecessor only in the appearance of the back. The traditional plastic body is now decorated with repeating perforations as well as two new colors. In addition to the classic black and white, the S5 is now also available in blue and gold. Even more noteworthy is the previously non-existent protection against moisture and dust.
The display of the S5 has remained almost the same size as the previous generation – on the front we find a 5,1-inch AMOLED panel with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. There are no big changes in color rendering or pixel density, the increase of which would probably be relatively unnecessary – despite the wishes of some customers.
Beyond the look and display, however, the S5 adds some new features. One of them, which will probably be most familiar to iPhone users, is the ability to unlock the phone using a fingerprint. Samsung didn't use Apple's main button shape; in the case of the Galaxy S5, this sensor is more like a fingerprint reader used in laptops. Therefore, it is not enough to put your finger on the button, it is necessary to swipe it from top to bottom. For an illustration, you can look at video lesson one of the server's journalists SlashGear, which was not 100% successful with unlocking.
The camera has undergone major changes, both in terms of hardware and software. The S5 sensor is three million points richer and is now able to record an image with 16 megapixel accuracy. Even more important are the software changes – the new Galaxy is said to be able to focus faster, in just 0,3 seconds. According to Samsung, it takes up to a full second for other phones.
Probably the most interesting change is the big improvement of the HDR function. The new "real-time HDR" allows you to view the resulting composite photo even before you press the shutter. This way we can immediately decide whether combining an underexposed and an overexposed image is really useful. HDR is also newly available for video as well. At the same time, this is a function that no previous phone could boast of to this day. The video can also be saved in up to 4K resolution, i.e. Ultra HD in marketing language.
Samsung is trying to take advantage of the boom in fitness technology, and to measure steps and keep track of eating habits, it also adds another new function - heart rate measurement. This can be done by placing your index finger on the flash of the rear camera. This new sensor will be used by the built-in S Health app. In addition to this application, we find only a few of the other "S" utilities. Samsung heard the calls of its customers and removed a number of pre-installed applications such as Samsung Hub.
The Korean manufacturer also introduced a new product called the Samsung Gear Fit. This device has been introduced since last year Galaxy Gear (the Gear watches also got a new generation and a pair of models) differ in their shape and capabilities. It has a narrower profile and can be compared to a bracelet rather than a watch. Compared to the previous model, the Gear Fit is more focused on fitness and offers several new features.
Thanks to the built-in sensor, it can measure the heart rate and also offers the traditional measurement of steps taken. This information will be transmitted to the Galaxy mobile phone using Bluetooth 4 technology and then to the S Health application. Notifications about messages, calls, emails or upcoming meetings will then flow in the opposite direction. Like the S5 phone, the new fitness bracelet is also resistant to moisture and dust.
Both the products presented yesterday, the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Gear Fit bracelet, will be sold by Samsung already in April this year. The Korean company has not yet announced the price for which it will be possible to purchase these devices.
Thus, Samsung "Tiamtunk" has once again demonstrated a terrible design that copies the existing S3 and S4 series, not to mention the plastic materials used. With the use of water resistance, this Korean "gem" can already be used as a boat paddle :). For me, this device is a huge disappointment. I would expect better quality processing from a high-end device and, above all, not to pay such high prices for plastic. That's why Apple is still king.
I personally don't like the new Samsung S5 and I don't really like plastic phones either. But firstly, water resistance is a great feature in my opinion, and secondly, the angular shape of the phone, which my iPhone 4S has, is also not exactly ideal, because the phone twists strangely when held in the hand and cannot be gripped.
the phone is only waterproof, not waterproof. I think the difference is quite significant :)
A meter under water for half an hour… that's what is called "waterproof" in the normal world.
that's what Samsung claims. Since it has a removable back cover, I seriously doubt it.
For me, it's waterproof, when I dream I can go diving :)
The competition in large displays is huge, which is why the market share has been declining for a long time and will continue to decline. The highlight was the S3, which I also liked for its compact design, inflating the phone to ridiculous sizes is an appalling mania, we'll be using a 24" phone in a moment. :-))))
Ah! How perfect. Too bad they didn't add an integrated lighter and corkscrew firing knife... :)
You'll quickly notice the photo icon in the lockscreen.. it looks exactly the same as in iOS7 and I don't know if it wasn't there on the S4, but I don't see that iOS7 had it first and then Samsung doesn't copy it :-) if I'm wrong, correct me
So I expected a bigger revolution. Compared to the previous model, it only offered a fingerprint sensor and an unnecessary heart rate sensor. Personally, I like the fingerprint sensor better on the iPhone, I just apply it and that's it. This Samsung system reminds me of the swipe unlock on a laptop, which bothered me and I didn't use it. I wonder if it works like the iP to use from different directions, which I think is a huge plus. Heart rate measurement is useless on the phone, I think that the vast majority of users will not use it. They've made progress from the guts of the phone, but what's the point when there's TouchWiz, which often chops and crashes (maybe this version is finally debugged). I quite like how everyone is disappointed on the Samsung forums :DK the only thing about the bracelet, I like it, compared to the watch.
With that heartbeat, I mainly didn't understand if when I ride a bike, I should have my cell phone in my hand the whole time and flick my finger at the flash, or what it's meant to be.
It's the same idea as iphone apps, It's measured before exercise, it's measured after exercise. By illuminating your finger with a flash :-)
Yes, but it must only be indicative values, right? It is better to measure the course of the bracelet.
You will need to wear the Gear Fit during exercise. It has a sensor on the inside that should be able to continuously measure the heart rate.
Yes, and that's a really great thing, that's why I don't understand why they put it on the phone.
I quite like the watch. And they look decent. But the bracelet? The worst thing is probably the orientation of the display. I wouldn't mind spinning my head every time I needed something.
Anyway, I'm already looking forward to the iWatch. That everyone's eyes would shoot out and they'd all piss their pants off...