All about Samsung Galaxy S4

[thecapsaicinkid]

Uh yes it is. It runs stock Android and gets prompt updates direct from Google. That's what makes it effectively a Nexus because that is what people care about.

Ok dude. It IS a Nexus. I'll tell Google so they can start calling it such because they've clearly missed the (your) memo 🙄

So a barebones Android experience, in terms of both hardware and software, is all Nexus is and ever will be?

If you want to call the Nexus 'barebones' then sure, why not 🙂

 

[ponyo]

I'm just going to call it Super Nexus. Where is the preorder page? I think this phone is finally worthy upgrade from my Galaxy Nexus.

 

[ChronoReverse]

Hmm, yeah I like the sound of Super Nexus. My GS4 doesn't have any logos beyond "Samsung", this will work =)

 

[poofyhairguy]

My GS4 doesn't have any logos beyond "Samsung", this will work =)

Yeah I will probably buy the Google battery cover to replace my AT&T one.

 

[Dari]

So, basically, people that get a subsidized S4 just have to wait until someone extracts the ROM from this Nexus S4 and, bam, they have a cheaper Nexus S4? It'll be a minority but I guess it's a good thing for someone who wants this phone and wants stock Android...

 

[Red Storm]

Ok dude. It IS a Nexus. I'll tell Google so they can start calling it such because they've clearly missed the (your) memo 🙄

I said effectively. Why are you trying to argue semantics? 🙄

Fact is, the phone is going to get prompt updates straight from Google, and that is the number one most important thing about any Nexus device.

 

[s44]

Why are you trying to argue semantics? 🙄

 

[thecapsaicinkid]

I said effectively. Why are you trying to argue semantics? 🙄

Fact is, the phone is going to get prompt updates straight from Google, and that is the number one most important thing about any Nexus device.

Because it's an important distinction. The Nexus is a reference device for developers. By Google calling the S4 a Nexus they would essentially be saying, "Oh hey, you know we said software buttons/single partitions etc. are important? yeah we changed our mind, here is your new reference." They were pretty clear they weren't calling this Nexus.

 

[chimaxi83]

Because it's an important distinction. The Nexus is a reference device for developers. By Google calling the S4 a Nexus they would essentially be saying, "Oh hey, you know we said software buttons/single partitions etc. are important? yeah we changed our mind, here is your new reference." They were pretty clear they weren't calling this Nexus.

Are you an offended Nexus owner? So Google appears to be expanding what they're doing with phones, what does it matter? It's just another stock Android option that Google is offering, this time on top end, full of all bells and whistles hardware.

 

[ChronoReverse]

*yawn

I'm loving my Super Nexus running CyanogenMod 10.1 btw.

@poofyhairguy

I hope you get your Samsung 64GB microSD soon. If the benchmarks are good I'm going to pick one up too (although it's looking like even with 20+ games installed I haven't used up the internal partition yet).

 

[thecapsaicinkid]

Are you an offended Nexus owner? So Google appears to be expanding what they're doing with phones, what does it matter? It's just another stock Android option that Google is offering, this time on top end, full of all bells and whistles hardware.

Where did I say I don't like the Google S4??? I'm glad it exists, it'll stop people raging that the N4 doesn't fit their hardware needs. It sucks if you want stock and need SD/removable batteries etc. If you think Nexus is just slapping stock on any old device and don't understand the program then knock yourself out 😵

 

[Red Storm]

Where did I say I don't like the Google S4??? I'm glad it exists, it'll stop people raging that the N4 doesn't fit their hardware needs. It sucks if you want stock and need SD/removable batteries etc. If you think Nexus is just slapping stock on any old device and don't understand the program then knock yourself out 😵

No one said the S4 is a Nexus. I said because it will be getting the most important features of Nexus devices (stock Android and prompt updates straight from Google) it EFFECTIVELY is a Nexus.

Please look up the word effectively.

 

[WelshBloke]

Because it's an important distinction. The Nexus is a reference device for developers. By Google calling the S4 a Nexus they would essentially be saying, "Oh hey, you know we said software buttons/single partitions etc. are important? yeah we changed our mind, here is your new reference." They were pretty clear they weren't calling this Nexus.

I wonder if google have given up on the menu button issue?

I agree that just putting an aosp rom on a device doesn't make it a Nexus device. We've been able to do that with most devices forever.

 

[ChronoReverse]

Very few devices get AOSP straight from Google though. Only the Nexus devices, the Xoom and now the GS4.

 

[chimaxi83]

Where did I say I don't like the Google S4??? I'm glad it exists, it'll stop people raging that the N4 doesn't fit their hardware needs. It sucks if you want stock and need SD/removable batteries etc. If you think Nexus is just slapping stock on any old device and don't understand the program then knock yourself out 😵

Read what is posted before responding.

1. Didn't say anything about not liking a Google GS4
2. Didn't say anything about stock Android on "any old hardware"

Nexus phones haven't been near any top end phones in terms of features, which is why I said barebones Android experience. I'm not knocking Nexus, they've been nice phones, but they're pretty plain and lacking in hardware, which is all I'm saying. I'm pretty sure I "understand the program", so cut the elitist bull.

This will EFFECTIVELY be a Nexus, in all but an official designation by Google. Oh, and because it has too much hardware going for it, I guess.

I wonder if google have given up on the menu button issue?

I agree that just putting an aosp rom on a device doesn't make it a Nexus device. We've been able to do that with most devices forever.

I'd much rather have AOSP from Google than XDA or somewhere else. I could go without all the "everything works except... ", "this will never be fixed", "need proprietary files from Samsung to do this" disclaimers at the beginning of every ROM thread.

 

[WelshBloke]

Very few devices get AOSP straight from Google though. Only the Nexus devices, the Xoom and now the GS4.

Why does it matter where it comes from?

 

[Gorgenapper]

Samsung willing to do this for the same price as the regular S4 shows how much value they have in their software. It really is all bloated gimmick.

+1. Who here actually tilts their phone back and forth to zoom in and out of a picture? What about waving your hand two inches from the screen instead of using a touch-swipe instead? Maybe we can all start a rave group, link all of our S4s together and dance silently in a room while listening to Gangnam Style through our headphones?

This is called 'innovation'.

 

[ChronoReverse]

Why does it matter where it comes from?

Because it comes out sooner and works better?

Seriously, CyanogenMod is amazing but they still need drivers from the vendor to resolve a whole plethora of bugs whenever there's a version jump. Google releasing it means we have the drivers.

This will be amazing for development, including CyanogenMod.

 

[Gorgenapper]

*yawn

I'm loving my Super Nexus running CyanogenMod 10.1 btw.

@poofyhairguy

I hope you get your Samsung 64GB microSD soon. If the benchmarks are good I'm going to pick one up too (although it's looking like even with 20+ games installed I haven't used up the internal partition yet).

Hey, you installed CM on your 16gb S4? How much default free space do you have with CM installed?

 

[ChronoReverse]

Hey, you installed CM on your 16gb S4? How much default free space do you have with CM installed?

CM10.1 doesn't repartition (because you wouldn't be able to restore a Nandroid to get back to Touchwiz, you'd need to ODIN) so you have the same free space right now.

It'll be possible to repartition in the future if you're willing to give up being able to flash Touchwiz ROMs (I suspect many are willing).


It's kinda funny though. The /system partition is 2.7GB and Touchwiz uses up 2GB of that. CyanogenMod 10.1 uses 500MB. The /cache partition is also too large in my opinion. It's 2GB while the sum total of dalvik, system data and app caches is about 100MB.



With a repartition, I don't see we can't gain almost 3GB, bumping up /data to 12GB.

 

[WelshBloke]

Because it comes out sooner and works better?

Seriously, CyanogenMod is amazing but they still need drivers from the vendor to resolve a whole plethora of bugs whenever there's a version jump. Google releasing it means we have the drivers.

This will be amazing for development, including CyanogenMod.

Google don't make the drivers, haven't Qualcomm been pretty good about releasing stuff anyways?

 

[s44]

Google don't make the drivers, haven't Qualcomm been pretty good about releasing stuff anyways?

There's more to a phone than the SoC. Sensors -- esp. camera and video! -- have traditionally been the issue. Also the current AOSP ROMs don't have NFC working yet on the S4.

 

[dawheat]

+1. Who here actually tilts their phone back and forth to zoom in and out of a picture? What about waving your hand two inches from the screen instead of using a touch-swipe instead? Maybe we can start a rave group, link all of our S4s together and dance silently in a room while listening to Gangnam Style through our headphones?

This is called 'innovation'.

Actually I'm surprised it took Samsung so long to do this. It fits their pattern to a tee - whether it's their never ending slew of phones or the galaxy camera, etc. Basically try to fill every niche and see what people want.

The success of the N4 likely raised their interest and they want to see what the market is like. So they'll compare the sales of this vs. unsubsidized standard phones and really see if people are willing to pay flagship prices for a stock Android phone.

Love em or hate them, this is what they do.

 

[WelshBloke]

There's more to a phone than the SoC. Sensors -- esp. camera and video! -- have traditionally been the issue. Also the current AOSP ROMs don't have NFC working yet on the S4.

Camera sensor is made by Sony isn't it?

 

[ChronoReverse]

Yes but as we've seen with the Xperia Z vs GS4 comparisons, Samsung has something in the software which gives much better results than Sony.

With that said, the AOSP camera images on my GS4 doesn't seem to be too inferior. Still missing the software features like Drama Shots and Animated Shots.