Rugged Samsung Galaxy S4 ‘Active’ to hit stores in July: Report
New reports about Samsung's expected dust and water-resistant variant of the Galaxy S4 claim a July launch date.
If there is one criticism that we have heard about the Samsung Galaxy S4, it is that the smartphone is made out of plastic making it fragile, delicate and a fingerprint and dust magnet. Last week, a Samsung executive had let slip that the Korean company was working on a more rugged version of its flagship smartphone.
This week, a Wall Street Journal report adds to the rugged S4 speculation, by giving the smartphone a tentative launch date of July, and a name – the Galaxy S4 Active.
The Galaxy S4 Active will supposedly maintain the physical form factor as the currently available Galaxy S4 but will be built to withstand dust and water. The phone is likely to be marketed towards people who need a device in rugged environments like war zones, construction sites, etc. It is also expected that a 4.3-inch version of the S4 is in the works.
It is good to see that Samsung is working on a sturdier version of the S4, which will prove to have a better build that the currently available S4. The closest competitor to the S4, the HTC One, is one of the best-built smartphones we have ever seen. The device has a unibody polycarbonate finish and a design that makes it look gorgeous. The iPhone 5, the other major competitor in the top-end smartphone space, also features a great build.
We have seen some rugged smartphones launch in India, such as the Sony Xperia Go, which was launched last year, and this year’s Xperia Z flagship. The Xperia Z has the IP55 dust resistance and IP57 water resistance certifications, which we put to the test.
Source: WSJ