Samsung Galaxy S4 – hardware from Samsung with Google’s latest software | Hacker News Reader

Samsung Galaxy S4 – hardware from Samsung with Google’s latest software

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49 pointsCrazedGeek49 comments

"Google's take on Android"?

Don't they mean just "Android"? Because the shit that comes on a regular S4 is "Samsung's take on Android", no matter how Samsung would prefer to define things.

No, they mean Google's take. AOSP is Android, the Nexus experience that is shipping on the N4, the new S4, etc is "Google's take".

What's the difference between AOSP and the Nexus experience?

google apps come by default, which you'd normally call "bloatware"

On top of that, the AOSP web browser and a few other apps aren't included.

I'm not sure it's fair to call the base Google apps like Gmail and Maps "bloatware".

Well, some of them are not actually bloat for most people (because some of them like Gmail are actually useful). But nobody I know uses G+ or the Movies app (this one requires you to pay, which is a lot like the typical Norton "bloat").

For Nexus devices, it's not as bad as the crapware that comes with a typical phone. You can still remove/disable apps. I had an old Samsung Galaxy phone where you couldn't even remove some of the garbage that came with the phone (some app about the Inception movie, Facebook, etc.)

Google Currents

They really need to make it a "Google program" of some sort, where any manufacturer can do this with their smartphone models (while respecting Google's strict guidelines of course). They'd basically be Chromebooks for Android.

The HTC One or even the Facebook phone would be very nice with stock Android

I believe you can simply remove Facebook Home from the HTC First to return to stock Android, though I'm not sure that guarantees updates like the Nexus devices do.

You can, but AT&T has already discontinued the HTC First. If you're lucky you can pick it up for $0.99 before the pull it from shelves.

I believe there's still plenty of time, that BGR report seemed pretty preliminary. They've got stock to burn through. Even the Playbook stayed on shelves for longer than this. I plan on buying a First myself.

Would it really be the Facebook phone if it came with stock Android?

This. I'm surprised that it's taken Google this long to get around to it.

I just hope the network operators actually bother to sell these devices... For reasons I fail to comprehend, EE, the largest network in the UK, still refuses to sell the flagship Nexus 4, or indeed any phone that ships with a non-mutilated version of (stock) Android.

Edit: I suppose it's because the device is such good value on the Play Store that EE wouldn't be able to make a worthwhile margin on their contracts while appearing vaguely competitive.

For reasons I fail to comprehend, EE, the largest network in the UK, still refuses to sell the flagship Nexus 4

Because there is next to no market for it. People who are not developers are not aware of 'stock', and don't care. People who are developers will just buy from the Play Store.

Fair, although this is not simply some geeky dev device. Apart from the poor camera, it is a remarkable phone for the money (in some contrast with this S4!) and I suspect that it is primarily Google's lack of marketing that has prevented it from going mainstream. LG has struggled to keep up with demand for these phones as it is.

Might it have something to do with the fact that EE is an LTE network and the Nexus 4 is a HSPA+ device?

Probably, and it would likely cannibalise sales of their pricey 4G tariffs. Although apparently their official line on the N4 is that it 'failed EE's internal testing'.

What I find really frustrating is the radio in the N4 does support LTE. It's apparently disabled in software. I suppose you could go SIM only - they have some reasonable* tariffs.

*It's all relative.

Carriers are uneasy about giving more control to Google, Apple and Microsoft. They want to keep them at bay by going with the OEMs who are much less likely to challenge them on their turf.

Nokia's chief said that carriers were less keen on Windows Phone because of Microsoft acquiring Skype.

http://www.businessinsider.com/nokias-ceo-says-carriers-hate...

Hilarious moment in the session when he announces the GS4.

"Here's the Samsung Galaxy S4, its a great phone, and you can get it for $650 on the Play store!"

...crickets.

haha yea I noticed that too. Must have been very awkward for him.

This is amazing news. The S4 has amazing hardware but the Samsung stock software is absolutely terrible in almost every aspect.

I have an S4. Does anybody know if I'll be able to remove Samsung's software and go completely google? I'd be happy to ditch touchwiz and the junk Samsung put on the phone to get the full Google/Android experience.

you could flash a new rom. it's rather easy.

I don't just want any old rom. I want the one Google is using for its version of the S4. Is this likely to be available? (Apologies if this is basic stuff for the Android experts--I'm still figuring things out.)

It's possible. At first you'll have to make your device's bootloader unlocked, this is the hardest step of all since the method to do this is different to each variant of device and usually require root access. The second step is installing a recovery ROM which will allow you to install custom ROM. Finally, you find the custom ROM that suits your need and install it. Cyanogen Mod and AOSP provide almost if not the same as pure Google experience. Please note that S4 is very new so custom ROM may not be perfectly stable yet. You should find more information at forum xda-developers where developers are actively work on it.

I have one myself and I don't know if that'll be possible. The problem is that different devices, sold by different carriers, require different radio drivers and so on. Take for example the S2 and S3s sold by AT&T and T-Mobile: they are marketed under the same name, they look the same externally but they are completely different model numbers.

In other words, I'm not sure Google's version of the S4 will be an exact copy of AT&Ts. I hope it is, I can't wait to get rid of Samsung's crappy version.

Isn't this just a way to reassure customers, that there are no problems between Google and Samsung?

Also, I am huge fan of Nexus softkeys, which move as I rotate screen and are not physical. And how about softkeys other than home? Back is on the wrong side (well, wrong is opposite of what i've used to), and second is context sensitive menu.

I'm still worried. The Nexus way had invented 'no-physical-button' experience for 2 generations. Now, with Galaxy Nexus S4, will we have the physical button back again ? Will this cause fragmentation in android ecosystem ?

does this mean stock android will eventually get to use the smart gesture and motion features of S4 ? I would hope Samsung has contributed their code and future iterations of similar hardware will be supported in android ! for once let there be a good marriage between competition and a common open mobile operating system (aka Android) amongst manufacturers

It's interesting how with each nexus, samaungs brand gets stronger.

Google Nexus S, Google Galaxy Nexus, now Samsung Galaxy S4 with stock Android

Damnit. Makes me regret buying a Nexus 4 two months ago.

great news!

Does Google make any money by selling this or is it just Samsung? Does this mean no new Nexus phone for Google I/O?

And Motorola continues to bleed a ton of money.

Not only Motorola, but probably also HTC, LG, ASUS and whoever else is/was trying to sell Android phones. I honestly don't get it - do they want to actively kill off internal competition among Android manufacturers?

More or less what you pay for a regular S4 without contract (at least in Sweden)

Too expensive. For $649, get an iPhone.

sure if the following features are not important to you, 1080p display, removable battery, expandable memory slot, NFC, new touchscreen tech allowing you to use the screen with gloves, optional wireless charging and arguably the most popular mobile operating system

edit: removed ' future updates ' as a differentiating feature since iPhone has the same guarantee

  | guaranteed updates for the near future

Don't iPhone users get iOS updates? How is 'OS updates' a differentiating feature?

You are correct, I think I got a little carried away :)

  |1080p display

I still fail to understand how can that be important for anyone on a mobile phone

And most importantly, the ability to do whatever the fuck you want with your device without an evil corporation curtailing your freedom, enslaving you and draining you of your money and soul.

Tone down the rhetoric for pity's sake. My freedoms haven't been hindered once by Apple. My privacy has been by both Google and Samsung. Samsung are one of a group of nasty, if not the absolute worst, chaebols in Korea. That you've posted twice does lead me to think that you need to disclose more...

I'd argue that the iPhone has a better camera too. The colour reproduction on the more (IMHO) sensibly sized screen is better and the quality of the overall hardware quality and finish is superior as well. All in all it's horses for courses.

"and arguably the most popular mobile operating system" I know you said arguably and gauging by shear volume, sure. Does that mean the majority are choosing Android over everything else. I'm not so sure. Numerous studies have shown that iOS is used a lot more by those that have the platform versus the majority of cheap commodity handset that merely ship with, if you'll forgive me, an unholy bastardisation of Android installed; normally unsupported and at best 3 or 4 releases behind what is current. Android in it's "pure" form is fantastic. I'm not going to tell you that Android is "crap" because that is an utterly ridiculous position to take, much like the rhetoric levelled the other way. Sorry for that stream-of-conciousnses nonsense...

You're right iPhone is too expensive also.

I bought the S4 this month for $629. I think $649 is reasonable. Compared to the iPhone, It's got a larger screen, replaceable/upgradeable battery, and better features. Worth it, in my opinion.

An out of contract iPhone 5 (16GB) costs the same price:

http://store.apple.com/us/buy/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone...

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