When Samsung released the S4 Zoom, a camera/smartphone hybrid (camera phone?), we didn't think too highly of it. While we thought the idea was promising, the execution left much to be desired: it was unwieldy, slow, and the pictures we took weren't up to par with even the iPhone 5S. It looks like Samsung is going to take another crack at it. Let's take a look at what we know about the company's next camera smartphone.
It may come April 29
Samsung announced a "Media Day" event for the end of April, and although we're not told exactly what to expect, we've been given a pretty big hint it'll reveal the Galaxy S4 Zoom sequel. The company tweeted the details through its official Mobile account, along with the phrase "Kapture the Moment." No, that's not a typo, it's how Samsung spelled the word "capture."
Naming conventions aside, it could be indicative of what this thing will be called. For a while, media outlets thought it would be named the Galaxy S5 Zoom, which is understandable since the previous iteration was called the Galaxy S4 Zoom. Even so, based on the invitation's artwork, it could be called the Galaxy K or K Zoom.
It looks similar to the S4 Zoom
The Galaxy S4 Zoom was a real heifer. It weighed more than 200 grams, and had a massive 10x optical zoom lens stuck to its back. Subtle, it wasn't. A leaked image reveals that, while the successor looks somewhat similar, Samsung may have slimmed things down this time. The picture shows a curvier bodied phone with a flush-fit lens on the rear. Despite the size reduction, the camera is still expected to offer a 10x optical zoom.
However, the leaks didn't stop there. The leaked image did show a more curved body than its predecessor, that was the only picture of its kind. However, leaked pictures found on Chinese website Baidu reaffirmed the slimmer design. While it looks bulky due to the clear case, the case doesn't seem to be standard with the device.
This time, the Zoom may pack some power
One of our main caveats with the S4 Zoom is that it wasn't as snappy as we wanted it to be. Even though it was powered by a dual-core processor, it was backed up by only 1.5GB of RAM. The interface hiccuped and slowed down on a constant basis, and it didn't help that the screen was, for lack of a better word, subpar. If the rumored specifications of the S4 Zoom's successor ring true, all those problems might be rectified.
Rumored specifications include:
4.8-inch 720p Super AMOLED
Samsung Exynos 5 5260 hexa-core processor (could vary by region)
2GB of RAM
20-megapixel camera with 10x optical zoom and Xenon flash
2-megapixel front-facing camera
Android 4.4.2 KitKat
Whether those specs are legitimate will most likely be answered during Samsung's Media Day, which will take place in Singapore on April 29.
Article originally published 4-14-2014. Rewritten on 4-23-2014.
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