Samsung’s Galaxy S IV Arrives Next Week: Here’s What to Expect – QUALCOMM, Inc. (QCOM), AT&T Inc. (T)

An insider told SamMobile that the Exynos 5 Octa will indeed be shipping in the Galaxy S IV, despite earlier Snapdragon rumors. Since Samsung has immense scale, it sometimes uses different chipsets in different variants tailored to specific regions, so it could potentially use both Exynos chips in some models and Snapdragons in others.

Open your eyes
Earlier this month, The New York Times reported that the S IV will feature an innovative interface that will allow pages to scroll based on eye movements. Not much is known about the underlying technology, and it’s not clear if Samsung will demonstrate the feature at its event.

The company has been aggressively trying to differentiate itself from other hardware manufacturers to maintain dominance, focusing heavily on new software features in recent times. Apple has always had great success with interface breakthroughs, and Samsung has been taking plenty of notes on Apple’s rise.

No surprises
The S IV will reportedly ship with Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean, naturally with Samsung’s custom TouchWiz software layer on top. Even though Samsung has done wonders for Android’s market share and that’s all the better for Google, the search giant may still be getting uneasy about how much power its South Korean partner is gathering. Among other things, Google’s Motorola acquisition was an expensive hedge against the possibility that partnerships would turn sour.

Despite criticism, Samsung is probably sticking with its plastic chassis designs, as exec Y.H. Lee recently defended the decision, saying the material offers a balance of a premium feel with manufacturing flexibility (not to mention cost savings). Rivals have invested heavily in higher-quality materials. Apple and, more recently, HTC now use machined aluminum unibody casings in their flagships.

The Galaxy S IV will be a high-profile launch to intensify competition. Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) is reportedly launching its Z10 a week later on March 22 on AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T), its first domestic carrier, while Apple is expected to launch new iPhones as early as June.

If you’re in the market for a smartphone, you’ll have plenty of choices over the next few months.

The article Samsung’s Galaxy S IV Arrives Next Week: Here’s What to Expect originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Evan Niu, CFA.

Fool contributor Evan Niu, CFA, owns shares of Apple, Qualcomm, and Universal Display. The Motley Fool recommends Apple, Google, and Universal Display and owns shares of Apple, Google, Qualcomm, and Universal Display.

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