Samsung has finally announced the Galaxy S4 Zoom, with 16 megapixel BSI (Backside Illumination) sensor, 10x Optical Zoom, Zenon Flash and Optical Image Stabilization. There's a 4.3-inch qHD (960 x 540 pixels) Super AMOLED display on the Galaxy S4 Zoom with Corning Gorilla Glass protection. The Zoom is powered by a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and will run Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with Samsung's TouchWiz UI on top.
There's a ring on the lens of the Galaxy S4 Zoom which not only lets you use its 10x optical zoom but also in-call photo share via MMS with just a twist of the ring. There are some quicklaunch and other shortcuts built into the mechanism of the ring as well which depends on the context in which the ring is used. Unlike the Galaxy Camera, the Galaxy S4 Zoom is also a phone and it will LTE connectivity in some markets. There are 25 Smart Modes built into the camera interface as well as a Smart Mode Suggest which chooses the best mode based on the environment you are in including light levels, available focal length etc.
With the release of the Galaxy S4 Zoom Samsung has officially killed the Nokia EOS PureView Windows Phone 8 smartphone which has been making rounds in various rumor circles. If Samsung is able to bring this product to the market before Nokia's fabled EOS then combined with the popularity of Android and Samsung, sadly, the EOS will be DOA no matter how much better Nokia says it is better than the GS4 Zoom.
Apart from the camera specs, the Galaxy S4 Zoom also has 1.5GB RAM, 8GB expandable internal memory, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS and NFC connectivity. A 2330 mAh battery powers the GS4 Zoom. There is no word on pricing or availability but we can expect more details at the Samsung Premier Event which is going to be held on June 20th in London.
