Why You Shouldn’t Buy the Samsung Galaxy S4 Right Now

Why You Shouldn’t Buy the Samsung Galaxy S4 Right Now is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

If you’re thinking about buying the Samsung Galaxy S4 right now, and you have the ability to wait a few weeks, you probably should consider waiting a few weeks for the Samsung Galaxy S5 to arrive before deciding on the Galaxy S4. Here’s why.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 was rumored all the way up until its March launch event inside the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The device was one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year and it was perhaps, one of the most anticipated smartphones of all time. A lot of that had to do with the success of the Galaxy S3, the device that came before it.

While Samsung has admitted that the Galaxy S4 did not strike a chord with consumers like the Galaxy S3 did back in 2012, the device was, and is, considered to be one of the finest smartphones available on the market.

The Galaxy S4 achieved this status thanks to a fantastic feature set that including a 5-inch 1080p display, quad-core processor, solid 13MP camera, useful and powerful software, and widespread availability in the United States. It was one of the best smartphones of 2013 and remains one of the top Android smartphones now in 2014. That said, we recommend staying away from the Samsung Galaxy S4, at least for the time being.

As we get closer to the month of March, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is an extremely difficult smartphone to recommend. And while those who need a phone right this second due to a broken phone or a sudden influx of cash might want to consider it, those who have the ability to hold out probably want to steer clear.

Samsung Galaxy S5

The most obvious reason to skip the Samsung Galaxy S4 for the moment is because it’s pretty clear that a Galaxy S4 successor will be arriving in just a few weeks. Here’s the deal. If you absolutely need a new smartphone today, buy one. If you don’t, we highly suggest waiting for the Samsung Galaxy S5 as it will likely open up multiple doors for smartphone shoppers.

First of all, this isn’t a phone that is a year away. At the very most, it’s looking like it might be a little over two months away. That’s nothing in the smartphone world, a world where flagship devices usually launch once per year. Those that can wait a few weeks, even just for the announcement that is rumored for February or March, would be wise to do so.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is rumored to be a lot of things but maybe most important, it’s rumored to be more powerful than the Samsung Galaxy S4. This is a device that is thought to have a QHD display, better than the Galaxy S4′s. A 16MP camera that will likely offer better photos and video than the Galaxy S4′s camera. Brand new software, most of which will likely not arrive for the Galaxy S4. A new processor that could be the Snapdragon 805 or Exynos 6. And a brand new design that is either going to be metal or plastic or both.

Samsung always improves upon its flagship smartphone and the Galaxy S5 should offer numerous improvements over the Galaxy S5. And because of that, we think it would be wise to at least wait until the device launches, either in February or March, before buying the Galaxy S4 or really, any other top flight Android smartphone.

Two Models Possible

If a better Samsung Galaxy S5 isn’t enough to convince you that buying the Galaxy S4 right now might not be worth it, consider this. Rumors point to two Galaxy S5 models, one premium and one budget. Credible sources agree that Samsung will follow Apple’s iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c launch and offer a lineup that caters to just more than the premium crowd.

Nothing is confirmed quite yet but there is a possibility that this Galaxy S5 will serve as the budget option for those that want a high-end device without the steep price tag.

Respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that the budget Galaxy S5 will offer a plastic design, quad-core processor, fingerprint reader, 1080p display, and a 16MP camera. In other words, some features that are on par with the Galaxy S4, others that are better. While nothing is set in stone, we think it’s worth the wait, if only to see if Samsung does release a budget Galaxy S5 with a better camera than the Galaxy S4′s.

Inevitable Galaxy S4 Price Cuts

In our opinion, waiting is going to be a win-win. Not only do consumers get to see the Samsung Galaxy S5 and perhaps, a budget Galaxy S5 as well, we also expect the Galaxy S4 price to decrease once the Galaxy S5 is announced.

Right now, the Galaxy S4 still commands a pretty expensive price tag through U.S. carriers. Verizon, for instance, charges $199.99 on-contract. That’s pretty expensive for a phone that’s almost a year old. Once the Galaxy S5 arrives, we expect that price, and the prices at other carriers and retailers to drop, which will make the Galaxy S4 even more appealing than it is right now.

More Options

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is coming, we know that. It’s also possible that we could see a budget Galaxy S5 option that trumps the Galaxy S4 thanks, in part, due to an upgraded camera. And we also know that the Galaxy S4 will likely see some price cuts once the Galaxy S5 is announced and released. So what else is there?

Well, for those that may not be particularly sold on the Galaxy S5 or the Galaxy S4, we expect there to be at least two other fantastic options in just a few weeks.

Rumors suggest that HTC will be pushing its HTC One successor, the HTC M8, out onto shelves in the next few weeks. We expect the HTC M8 to be a solid competitor to the Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy S4 for that matter. Furthermore, we expect the HTC One’s price to drop significantly once the HTC M8 arrives, making it a budget option that consumers will need to weigh against the Galaxy S4.

All of these doors have the potential to open in just a few weeks and so, this close to the Galaxy S5 launch, we recommend taking a rain check on the Galaxy S4, at least for now. You can thank us later.

Why You Shouldn’t Buy the Samsung Galaxy S4 Right Now is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.