Ya - I'm completely fine with the one I have.....just somewhat irritating that new variants trickle in....
Would love it if they could just build ONE flagship Galaxy S4 that incorporates all the features from these various iterations.
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Galaxy S4
- Thread starter Chris092881
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Ya - I'm completely fine with the one I have.....just somewhat irritating that new variants trickle in....
Would love it if they could just build ONE flagship Galaxy S4 that incorporates all the features from these various iterations.
it is quite confusing with all of these gs4 variants
I wish they would come out and say i9506 doesn't have appropriate US LTE bands. That will put this one to bed for me.
These companies need to make world phones and be done with this crap.
yeah it sure can be! But that is the way technology goes......there is always something better faster around the corner......
In fairness though Samsung have gone a bit OTT with the S4 regarding variants being released compared to 'any' other handset out there - even compared to those classed as past devices too.
Still unsure why it would need to pass the FCC if it wasn't intended for USA too.
Do you mean just a standard factory restore from settings on the device itself or do you mean by flashing the stock OS via Odin ?
If your flashing a stock OS via ODIN or a custom rom (that is not pre-rooted) via custom recovery then you lose root
If you just do a wipe clean factory reset via the handsets factory reset in security settings - I believe it can keep traces of your rooting - if not your rooting intact, though haven't done it myself directly.
If however you are wanting to remove root you can do this via SuperUser App too before you do a factory reset, though I'd still flash a new stock image via ODIN over the other option personally.
Not so sure about that.....doesn't Samsung sell more handsets than anyone else except maybe Apple? Aren't they giving the buyer exactly what they want? Doesn't everyone complain because Apple doesn't update enough? Even HTC has the HTC One.....Mini and HTC Max...coming soon.......Didn't they just release a red One just for Sprint? They all do it.....
Not really - were not talking variants such as galaxy mega, active or zoom, were talking variants of the same handset - the same device - the same S4 as it appears on the 'surface'.
We were not given a choice of exynos or snapdragon 600, we certainly were not given a choice or told that a snapdragon 800 version would be out 3 months later .... Giving people choice is good, having the same handset but with multitude of different hardware under the hood is not giving choice - especially as you don't get to choose what is perceivably the better hardware version / sku because Samsung only release variants in different territories. In that sense they are taking away the choice from us - not offering it.
How many USA customers or European customers would prefer the Exynos version if they were offered that choice ? But we weren't.
I'd argue neither do it the ideal way.
Apple should diversify a bit, while Samsung should reel it in a little bit.
I mean come on.....how many GS4 variants are out there? GS4, GS4 International, GS4 GPE, GS4 Active, GS4 mini, GS4 "photo" (whatever that one is called), now GS4 LTE-A....and that's just their flagship.
Not to mention the hundreds of other types of devices they make that don't get any pub because they're low-end cheap phones sold in smaller markets.
I'm not saying they should consolidate their ENTIRE smartphone arm - simply the flagship lines.....let there be a true GS4 Flagship - one, MAYBE two that have ALL the features.
Then again, the way they do it is the way you dominate marketshare - which is what they care about. And it works. So who am I to judge. Just woulda loved to get an S4 Active with the camera and processor of the regular S4.
I don't see it that way at all......they are giving the customer what they want. Why they don't offer the Exynos to all customers.....don't know. But they are selling more phones than anyone else and the critic and buying customer are supporting them.......so they must be doing something right? You bought a S4 and got rid of your HTC One?
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You and me both!
I don't see it that way at all......they are giving the customer what they want.
You and me both!
You just contradicted yourself though.
Not really....that would have nice for them to release another version of the Active with updated specs to match the current S4 or a exynos or snapdragon 800.....see choice is good.....
but you don't have that choice..... that's the point.
Having multiple SKU's is good for Samsung and for it's balance sheet, but don't keep up the pretence in saying its giving consumers choice because you don't get to choose what SKU you are given/allocated in your territory. Samsung says your getting this model - that's it - even if it's the poorer SKU.
Not my point though - I don't want YET ANOTHER version. I want ONE version in 2013 with ALL their top specs - a true flagship.
Like I said - Samsung wants to play the marketshare game and the best way to do so is to flood the market with hundreds of different phones. Good for them, but I don't think that's necessarily GREAT for consumers - nor do I think Samsung does it specifically for consumers....
EXACTLY±± THis is what I'm saying !!!!
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Again my point exactly too.
Analogy.
Samsung are a cake shop
THey just released their new sponge cake - both are called the Samsung Cake
Here's the USA & European Samsung cake
here is the Asian Samsung cake
Both are sponge cakes, built to a similar recipe, but one has nicer ingredients.
HOWEVER you in the USA and Europe can not have the nicer ingredient version because Samsung say so.
How is this choice ?
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It always makes me laugh when people make Samsung out to be some beacon of choice - an OEM FOR THE PEOPLE, giving users freedom and choice and Apple is some money-grubbing evil company who only cares about their bottom line.
Samsung is a MASSIVE conglomerate. And while they play a different game than Apple, its not out of some altruistic feeling for the consumer. Apple wants to make money - they don't care if their devices are somewhat niche - they always have been. If profit is high and customers are happy, Apple is happy. While Samsung is playing the marketshare game. They know they have the resources and ability to flood the market with all sorts of devices. They know that if they hit EVERY vertical, their marketshare will dominate others. As long as they have a high marketshare and consumers are happy, Samsung is happy.
Notice in both instances, the consumer is secondary - because ultimately these corporations just want to make money. Though they take different paths to get there, they have both been extremely successful.
So I say again - it would be nice if we could get EVERY company's BEST flagship, once a year. You can offer different device sizes through different lines (the Note line for example), but if a GS5 comes out, I want the GS5 to be the best of that line that year - I don't want another GS5 variant coming out a few months later with waterproofing, but a worse camera and then another variant a few weeks after that with a better camera but worse processor, and then another variant a few weeks after that with stock Android.
See, as a consumer I don't have a choice if I bought the GS5 thinking it was going to be the flagship. Those other options didn't exist at the time I bought my device and even if they did there are compromises in all of them.
I'd rather have 1 BEST option per year, than 6 ALMOST BEST options spread out over 6 months.....and given people buy smartphones on at LEAST a yearly cycle if not a 2-year cycle, I'd reckon more people would be inclined to agree with me than not.
And if you offer your best up front, even the people buying later on in the year know that its still your best offering.
Oh thank god I thought I was the only person who could see this / feel this way about it.....
No - one of the reasons I prefer iOS and Apple. I like their model better, though I do hope they diversify SOME this fall and next year. By that I mean add a larger option and a cheaper option to the regular offering.
But see - then Apple will at least release all three at the same time each year (I would think/hope).
That's one of the major problems here with Samsung's model. They have soo many variants/devices there isn't ANY possible way they could release even 1/3 of them at the same time - so they are spread out, offered to different countries....
Oh well - it is what it is. I do really like my GS4. Looking forward to the iPhone even next month as well!
Hey I agree too - these sku per territory mechanics should not be viewed as choice for the consumer
You have to become an xda expert to understand all the different gs4 variants
You have to become an xda expert to understand all the different gs4 variants
I see your point with the bolded part. I agree that device makers are out to make a profit. I also do agree with having my S4 be the best phone i could buy......having it remain that way is a pipe dream. Technology evolves way to fast. I do see the logic in releasing one version for different markets...that is sound business. So if a particular version is released to only overseas markets then so be it. It does not make me regret my choice of buying the current version S4. Something better is always just around the corner. If Samsung does not release it someone else will......
Oh I concur - but it's not like Samsung released faster iterations here. We're talking things added like waterproofing (why couldn't this be done with the flagship processor and camera?), a GPE (which I think should come standard with OEM skins being addable through the Play Store or some other download), a "photographer's" version (better camera which likely adds to bulk, but if the software can be enhanced, why not put your best software in the flagship)?
Like I said, I'm perfectly content with my GS4. And the additional lines (the Note series, even the Mega series, and the mini series) are all well within the realm of what I propose.
I just get tired of 6 versions all that do one thing well and the other things not as well......take the best things about those 6 and make them one phone. That's all I'm asking.
I'm kinda contemplating trying out the alternative ROMs available. Personally I'm quite ok with Touchwiz right now but just out of curiosity might give maybe Cyanogen or AOKP a try.
Those of you who have moved to other ROMs, what have you gained, what are you missing?
Those of you who have moved to other ROMs, what have you gained, what are you missing?
Got a couple questions. Deciding between this and the HTC One on Verizon.
Has anyone had burn-in issues with the S4?
Can you disable apps like S Health?
How is headphone/bluetooth audio quality? I have a pair of Klipsch Image S4I and Jaybird Bluetooth SB1.
Looking at the 32 gb model.
Has anyone had burn-in issues with the S4?
Can you disable apps like S Health?
How is headphone/bluetooth audio quality? I have a pair of Klipsch Image S4I and Jaybird Bluetooth SB1.
Looking at the 32 gb model.
1. No issues at all. This is my 5th straight Samsung device. None have had burn in
2. Yes. Or root and debloat all the crap
3. Very good. No major differences I've noticed between the One and S4 with headphones or BT. I turn off the Beats EQ anyways. BT Audio is very good. I stream to both my Audi and BMW. Never had any problems.