Leaked Screenshots Show US Galaxy S4 Eye-tracking Software & Confirm Quad-core CPU

[dgstorm]

We are going to label this one as rumor for now, but it definitely seems very legit. Some leaked screenshots showcase the internal functions of the North American version of the Samsung Galaxy S IV. These pics are very revealing and include a variety of notable features, confirming the new eye-tracking software and a quad-core CPU (not the octa-core we are hoping for). Several other specs are revealed as well including the 13MP camera, the 5-inch Full HD 1080p resolution display and 2GB of RAM.

As you can see from the second screenshot, the Samsung TouchWiz includes the new 'Smart" functions which are the eye-tracking features, including Smart Scroll and Smart Pause. Because this feature is designed for TouchWiz, we might start seeing it on other Samsung devices. Oddly, this device shows the 4.2.1 version of Android, although the final launch of the devices is supposed to have the Android 4.2.2 version. It's probable the final build will vary a bit from this because of Android 4.2.2, but shouldn't be too different.

As the days click down toward the final launch, the rumors of two different versions of the device (one with the Exynos 5 Octa-core and one with a quad-core Snapdragon 600) seem more and more likely. We are just eight days away from the full reveal. Do you think it will affect your decision to get a new SGS4 if you can't get the Exynos 5 Octa-core version?

Source: UnWiredView

 

[huskur]

Nice!! I have the Note 2 but I think the S4 would be awesome also......to many choices. Maybe I will get the S4 and just go back and forth between phones as needed. Man I'm glad Verizon went to SIMs

 

[johnomaz]

I wouldn't be disappointed if it didn't have the octa core. I was disappointed my S3 didn't have the Exynos processor but that went away rather quickly when I got my S3 because the chip it does have has yet to let me down.

 

[hotice]

I would also be disappointed if I had to get the Exynos. I'd much rather have the Snapdragon 600. They're both extremely fast processors but the Snapdragon 600 will probably have better battery life, especially on LTE. In a phone I'll always vote for battery life considering the slowest high-end processors are all fast now

While the eight core Exynos 5 is 28nm it needs to run on four cores, either the high power cores or the low power cores. The Snapdragon Quad's can run on any number of cores that are needed and I think I've read that Krait already seems more energy efficient then Cortex A-15. The real kicker though is the LTE chipset. I'm expect the Snapdragon 600 will have a significant advantage when it comes to LTE power usage.

 

[WestOkid]

Eye tracking = Another half baked gimmick that will only work in commercials. Anyone bumping playlists to each other or using tilt to zoom? Basically this is Touchwiz bloat.

 

[huskur]

Eye tracking = Another half baked gimmick that will only work in commercials. Anyone bumping playlists to each other or using tilt to zoom? Basically this is Touchwiz bloat.

If the eye tracking actually works it will be good. It would be nice to not have the screen time out while surfing or reading.

 

[PereDroid]

Yea, and scrolling by using your thumb is so 2012. I am a busy man. I don't have time to move my thumb.
I am all for new ideas. This is dumb.
Scrolleyes...I mean Rolleyes.

 

[trestevenson]

If the eye tracking actually works it will be good. It would be nice to not have the screen time out while surfing or reading.

I agree. I find it distracting that I have to scroll every 30 seconds in order to keep my screen from dimming, while reading an in-depth article on my phone. If the eye tracking is implemented in such a way that the effect on battery life is negligible, I would likely use this feature. Although I understand why this might be considered bloat by many, I think there are also plenty of people who would utilize Smart Stay if it's done well.

 

[champaned_out]

eye tracking might not be the most useful feature but it shows samsung is taking the initiative in innovation... rather than just reshape the device and slap a new name on it like some fruity company does

 

[kodiak799]

I agree. I find it distracting that I have to scroll every 30 seconds in order to keep my screen from dimming,

Change your display settings to a longer screen timeout (I think some browsers also have an option to override). You really won't sacrifice much battery having a 2-min screen timeout.

 

[trestevenson]

Change your display settings to a longer screen timeout (I think some browsers also have an option to override). You really won't sacrifice much battery having a 2-min screen timeout.

I'm aware that the screen timeout can be adjusted within the display settings, but I've never set it to longer than one minute due to the fact that the screen consistently uses the largest portion of my battery.

 

[kodiak799]

I'm aware that the screen timeout can be adjusted within the display settings, but I've never set it to longer than one minute due to the fact that the screen consistently uses the largest portion of my battery.

LOL, whatever floats your boat. I just thought for someone complaining about the screen dimming that an extra 60 seconds wouldn't impact their battery much.

Or you can use Locale or Tasker to change your timeout setting when the browser or other application is launched.

 

[JoeeDB]

I find it funny that the same people who are sarcastically saying they're too lazy to scroll with their thumb, are the same people that really are too lazy to set their screen time out to 10 minutes and push that magical power button to turn their screen off when they're done using their phone.

 

[kodiak799]

I find it funny that the same people who are sarcastically saying they're too lazy to scroll with their thumb, are the same people that really are too lazy to set their screen time out to 10 minutes and push that magical power button to turn their screen off when they're done using their phone.

Same people that go to extreme lengths to squeeze an extra 30 minutes out of their battery because they apparently can't be bothered to plug the phone in for even 5 minutes.

 

[trestevenson]

LOL, whatever floats your boat. I just thought for someone complaining about the screen dimming that an extra 60 seconds wouldn't impact their battery much.

Or you can use Locale or Tasker to change your timeout setting when the browser or other application is launched.

The extra 30 seconds of screen-on time was nice for browsing the web on my phone, but the vast majority of my usage during the week consists of text messages. I use an app called SMS Enhancer to display a popup whenever someone sends me a text, because for me it's more convenient than powering on the screen and swiping down the notification bar. It's also a bit more noticeable than just the notification light, which I occasionally overlook when I'm sitting at my desk at work. If I set the screen timeout to 1 minute and I don't notice that someone has texted me (or if I'm away from my desk), the screen stays on unnecessarily. Since I turn my ringer off while in the office, this is easier to do than one might initially assume.

The same situation arises if I've got my Nexus in my pocket and I somehow miss the vibration and ringtone of a text notification (which has happened). If I had my screen timeout set to 2 minutes or higher, I'd probably notice the heat from the screen after a bit, but by that time I would've already wasted battery life. This is why I'm particularly interested in Samsung's Smart Stay, because it could be a happy median for the way I use my device. I could still have my screen timeout set for 30 seconds, but I wouldn't be affected by it when I'm browsing the web. Obviously this isn't an optimal solution for everyone, and apps like Tasker could probably also suit my needs, but that doesn't make me any less curious to see how this eye tracking solution will work. Perhaps it'll be a horrible battery drain, or maybe it won't be polished and will feel like a gimmick. Whatever the case, I'm interested to see how it plays out.