Samsung Galaxy S4 Debut Updates: Wireless Charging Kit, Market Destinations and More
Everything that loyal Samsung fans had waited for were there but one oversight emerged - the Galaxy S4 will skip out the wireless charging previously seen on competitions like the Nexus 4.
Not exactly true, Samsung said. The S4 fully supports wireless charging but the tools for that specific function will not come with the original package. That means future S4 buyers will have to purchase a separate kit to enjoy reenergising their device without the annoying wires.
The cash setback for that is around $US100, according to CNET. The package includes the standalone wireless charger which costs $US60 and the specially-made S4 back-cover that retails at $US40.
But the problem is the accessory set will only be available starting June this year or two months after the purported commercial release of the Galaxy S4, which Samsung intends to put on store shelves by early April.
For those itchy enough to try out wireless charging immediately after grabbing the S4, Engadget recommends the Energizer Inductive Dual Charges. The product is Qi standard compatible so it should work without glitch with the upcoming Samsung flagship.
Now, many are definitely asking: Is the Samsung rolling out the Galaxy S4 simultaneously or will buyers in Australia and the United States get the fresh device at the same time?
The plan, Samsung said, is to deliver the phone to different markets at the same time, almost. Talking to CNET, one Samsung senior official has expressed confidence that Galaxy S4 buyers will get hold of the product without delay wherever they are.
"We've become very good at rolling out new products around the world," Gregory Lee, Samsung's main pointman for its Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Taiwan operations, told CNET.
Mr Lee indicated too that Samsung is aware of its strong following in the Asia-Pacific region, hence countries in the region are part of the priority list for initial Galaxy S4 shipments come April.
Does it mean Aussies will be among the first owners of the S4? That remains to be seen at the moment.
Finally, the chance is high for other Galaxy smartphones to also get the new features displayed by Samsung with the Galaxy S4, another company official said.
"Our hope is to bring anything that's not dependent on hardware to other devices," Drew Blackard, Samsung's product planning chief in the U.S., told CNET.
He hinted that in upcoming product update cycles, the Smart functions that the S4 will deliver next month will also make their way to high-end handsets like the Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy Note 2.