Smartphone leader, Samsung Electronics launched the Galaxy S5 4G-LTE variant in India on Friday. Priced at ₹53,500, the smartphone will be available in the market from Saturday, 20 July.
"We are excited to introduce our first 4G variant of the Galaxy S5 in India with a powerful processor, stunning display and faster connectivity for an unmatched user experience. We expect the 4G version to catch the imagination of technology enthusiasts and professionals, who demand superior smartphones for their heavy multimedia content consumption," Asim Warsi, Vice President (Marketing, Mobile & IT), Samsung India, told reporters at the launch event.
Mahesh Telecom, a Mumbai based smartphone vendor, had announced the arrival of the 4G variant before Samsung made an official announcement. He tweeted that Galaxy S5 4G-LTE (G900I) units would be launched in India soon and would be priced ₹1500 more than the 3G model (G900H), i.e., ₹56,000 (MRP). (Read the full report here)
Samsung released Galaxy S5 3G variant in India in April this year for ₹51,500. Apple iPhone 5S and 5C models and LG G2 LTE were the only 4G network supported smartphones available in India, until Samsung released its new variant of S5. The Taiwanese manufacturer HTC is also expected to join the fray soon, as it is expected to enable LTE network support to its recently launched One M8.
It may be mentioned that the specifications of the Galaxy S5 4G and 3G variants are almost similar except for the processor. The former is powered by a 2.5GHz Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801 processor while the latter is by Adinos Prime 2 processor (1.9GHz quad-cores + 1.3GHz quad-cores+ XMM6360 modem). The 4G variant also has features like download booster and Wi-Fi MIMO, which are not available in the 3G model.
Samsung Galaxy S5 sports a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with a 1080x1920 pixels full-HD resolution (432 ppi pixel density), which is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The flagship smartphone runs on Android v4.4.2 KitKat OS with the new TouchWiz UI. It is backed by 2GB RAM and 16 GB internal storage, which can be extended up to 128 GB through microSD card and powered by a strong Li-Ion 2,800 mAh battery.
The device has a 16MP camera with phase detection autofocus, LED flash, Dual Shot, Simultaneous HD video and image recording, geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection, image stabilization and HDR. It also boasts of a 0.3-second auto-focus feature.
A few value-added features like finger-print sensor based on biometric technology for secured phone unlocking, Ultra Power Saving Mode for longer battery life, water-proof and dust-resistant IP67 certification, and sensors - accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, gesture, heart rate – are also seen in the smartphone.
