Simply put, Samsung is a well-oiled machine that churns out quality products the same way E3 puts out video games. That is, quickly, efficiently, and in high volume to appease the masses. In a press release today, Samsung announced its Galaxy S4 Zoom smartphone-camera hybrid only proving that they have no sign of slowing down.
The device in question is an Android 4.2.2-operated Galaxy device attached to a somewhat bulky 16MP point-and-shoot camera with 10x optical zoom lens. That’s a whole lot of action packed into 15.4 millimeters of thickness.
The smartphone aspect proves formidable with the rest of the market, clocking in with a 4.3-inch qHD display, 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, 1.5GB RAM, 8GB of internal storage with support for microSD slot, and a 1.9MP front-facing cam.
As for the camera expect a BSI CMOS Sensor, a built-in Optical Image Stabilizer, Xenon Flash, and new means of social sharing your amateur photographs of choice.
Though a camera attached to a handset isn’t exactly what we’d call innovative, a new feature added to the interface called Zoom Ring makes sharing photos “simple and intuitive.” Per the release,
“When you’re in the middle of a phone call and you see something you absolutely have to share, a quick twist of the Zoom Ring will activate the In-Call Photo Share feature, letting you capture and send an image directly via MMS to whoever you are talking to simply.
For easy camera navigation, the Zoom Ring can be used to activate the Quick Launch andShortcut features, giving you instant access to multiple camera modes including Auto, Gallery and Smart Mode with a simple twist.
The Zoom Ring also revolutionizes conventional camera zoom controls. Optical zoom control replaces traditional dials and buttons with smooth, easy-to-operate digital controls. Professional-quality accuracy and unprecedented ease of use are just a twist away, making it easy to compose a scene and capture wide-angle shots or tight close-ups.”
The GS4 Zoom isn’t likely to attract the stereotypical smartphone wielder, but the Android market is flush with innumerable options in terms of add-ons and interfaces that Samsung could easily tap into a niche of users who want the basic functions and convenience of a smartphone with the optimum imaging technology capabilities of a point-and-shoot.
There’s been no word yet on a price tag or release date, though a recent update by Engadget notes that “Samsung indicates to us that the Galaxy S4 zoom will come to the US and the rest of Europe as well, at some point in Q4.”
