Samsung has long been criticized for its cheap, plastic-looking body that does not seem to have a chance with the more robust competition, the likes of Sony's Xperia and even HTC's aluminum body.

And even with the Samsung Galaxy S4 slowly making its way into the market, there still isn't that solid feeling for the hardware of the still popular phone, despite the many advanced technologies that its software has.

The official announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is bound to change that, proving that Samsung has been hard at work in creating a smartphone that can withstand more active conditions, putting it on a potentially same level as the ruggedness of the Sony Xperia Z today.

"The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is designed to enhance life experiences of the active user who wants to stay connected while exploring environments from the most rugged mountain trails to the roughest rivers," said Samsung in an official statement quoted by Telegraph.

Just how active can you be?

On the surface, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active seems like any 2013 smartphone in the running, with a 5-inch 1080p LCD display, a quad-core 1,9GHz Snapdragon 600 Qualcomm chipset, 2,600 mAh battery, the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS, as well as the Smart technology seen in the Samsung Galaxy S4.

According to Digital Trends, there's also just one version, the 16GB version and 4G LTE connectivity.

But on hardware, Telegraph adds that, in terms of the phone's toughness when exposed to the elements, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active allows 30 minutes of being submerged in one-meter deep water.

It's also dustproof, so those who have been wanting an Xperia Z for the sole purpose of these two features can now have another option.

Reveal date revealed in earlier photos?

Now that the Samsung Galaxy S4 has been announced, speculations are rampant that earlier leaked photos may have actually announced the release date of the phone. @evleaks has previously churned out a leaked rendition of the phone, with the screen showcasing the date "June 21."

Gadgets NDTV points this out, saying that June 20 is Samsung's Premiere event for the Galaxy and Ativ devices, which may signal a surprise go-show for the Samsung Galaxy S4.

As for the release date, Digital Trends adds that Samsung has officially announced a summer sale for the device, heading first to the US and Swedish markets, before dropping into other countries.

The report also states that the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active will be available in gray, blue, and orange--surprisingly playful for a high-end phone--with no price or exact release date revealed as of reporting.

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