The Samsung Galaxy S5 Has Landed

 
Well, here we are. After months of speculation, Samsung has finally unveiled the Galaxy S5 smartphone at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. So let’s take a look at what’s in store for Samsung’s latest and greatest attempt to control our pockets (and our minds). 

Design

Those of you who were hoping at the S5 would break tradition with the previous iterations of the device by going with a non-polycarbonate shell are going to be somewhat disappointed. It’s still made of plastic, save for a perforated look on the back. It will be available in 4 colors at launch, including blue, black, white, and gold. Good news for those of you with butter fingers though, as the Galaxy S5 will feature a water- and dust-resistant design, which should help you with any accidental spills. It isn’t fully waterproof, however, so you’re not going to want to give it a full bath. Now, let's take a look at what the S5 has in store for users in the camera department.

Camera

The camera has become one of the biggest selling points on smartphones, and manufacturers everywhere are trying to win on technology and features wherever possible. The Galaxy S5 debuts with a 16MP camera sensor, up from 13MP in the previous generation. While this feature isn’t itself a groundbreaking development, the real interesting changes are happening in software this time around. The Galaxy S5 is going to sport a fast autofocus technology, letting users focus on their subjects in a paltry 300 milliseconds, which Samsung claims is the fastest of any phone camera in the world.

Users will also be able to shoot in 4K UHD at 30 frames per second, and take advantage of the new HDR mode, which will provide deeper, richer color and better contrast, as well as better exposure management, which will happen on the fly, in tandem with the autofocus. And finally, the camera will feature a selective focus mode, letting you automatically blur the background -- if you so choose -- after you've taken the photo. We’re very curious to see some real-world photo samples, as these features seem very interesting, but we’re going to need to see more to decide if Samsung has a big win on their hands in this department or not. Next up, we’re looking at the display and the battery performance improvements.

Display & Battery Performance

On the display front, it looks like Samsung has bumped up the screen another tenth of a inch, coming in at 5.1 inches as opposed to the Galaxy S4’s 5 inches. It looks like Samsung stuck with the 1080p resolution this time, despite rumors leading up to the announcement that it would be bumped up even further. Some of the most exciting potential improvements this time around concern one of the biggest major flaws with virtually every smartphone, and that’s battery life.

The Galaxy S5 features something they call Ultra Power Saving Mode, which can be activated to enable extreme battery savings. It turns off every app on your phone except for SMS and calls and makes your screen black and white. The result? With just 10% battery life remaining, Samsung claims you’ll be able to go an additional 24 hours on standby. If this actually pans out in real-world scenarios, color us impressed. This would be a pretty major feat, and being able to rely on your phone without a charge in emergency scenarios is much appreciated. Next up, we’re looking at security and fitness features.

Fitness & Security

One of the most persistent rumors leading up to the launch of the Galaxy S5 was the presence of a fingerprint reader for authentication. This rumor has proven to be true, and the fingerprint reader will be integrated into the Home button on the Galaxy S5, much like the implementation on Apple's iPhone 5S. The reader will be used for authentication for things like unlocking your phone, making mobile payments, and also a new private mode that lets users hide certain pictures and videos from everyone but the owner. They gave an example of having a photo of your passport handy, but we all know what people are really going to use this feature for.

Another big part of Samsung's announcement was their commitment to the S5 as a fitness device. The S5 has an integrated heart rate sensor in the back, by the rear camera. This will work in tandem with their new S health fitness management solution, which will offer real-time coaching. The device will also work in conjunction with the two other Samsung products we'll talk about next -- the Galaxy Gear 2 and the Galaxy Fit.

Galaxy Gear 2 & Galaxy Fit

When the Galaxy Gear smart watch first launched, it failed to impress critics and consumers alike. Many thought the device felt more like a beta product than a proper release. Well, now we have a more mature, more streamlined offering in the Galaxy Gear 2. The most notable change is that Samsung has moved the camera and speaker -- which used to exist in the strap itself --onto the face of the watch. This means that users will now be able to swap out the strap for a new one of their choosing. As well, the design is a little bit more refined and a little less bulky, which is a welcome addition. Another nice addition is the inclusion of an infrared transmitter built into the watch, which will allow you to use it like a remote control with any TV out there. It's a feature we saw in the Galaxy S4 and HTC One, and one that we are big fans of.

Also added to Samsung's lineup is a much slimmer, much more fitness-oriented wearable, the Galaxy Fit watch. The Fit weighs in at just 27 grams, and is the first wearable device on the market with a curved AMOLED display. It will be compatible with over 20 Galaxy devices, which is a lot more than the original Galaxy Gear, but still not as open as many would prefer. This device will also have a removable strap, and will come in black, gray and orange colorways at launch. Also included is ANT+ support, allowing the Fit to communicate with most of the other fitness tracking devices on the market.