Samsung unveils Galaxy S5 smartphone

New features include heart-rate monitor,
fingerprint sensor.

The new Samsung Galaxy S5 features an
improved camera and a fingerprint sensor.

Samsung has unveiled its new Galaxy S5
smartphone, which it is framing as a lifestyle
product, featuring a built-in heart-rate sensor and
improved camera features, but a slightly larger
size than previous models.
One of the main appeals of Samsung phones has
been their size. The screen has steadily increased
since the 4 inches (10.2 centimetres) on the
original S from 2010, while the iPhone made that
jump to 4 inches only in 2012 and has stayed
that way since.
Compare the Samsung Galaxy S5 to other
current smartphone models
But the S5 pushes the screen to only 5.1 inches
(13 cms), measured diagonally, from 5 inches
(12.7 cms) in last year's model. Instead of size,
Samsung touted the new phone's ability to adapt
its screen to changing external conditions and to
dim it to avoid disturbing others nearby.
'The updates are so minor that on first
glance most consumers would be hard
pressed to notice that it has changed from
the previous version.'- Nick Dillon, analyst,
Ovum
The phone has a 16 megapixel camera, sharper
than the 13 megapixels in its predecessor. It
promises faster auto focus and the ability to blur
the foreground or background of an image to
emphasize a subject.
Samsung Electronics Co. made the latest
announcement during the Mobile World Congress
wireless show in Barcelona, Spain.
The new phone will go on sale worldwide on April
11. The company confirmed that it will be
available in Canada from Bell, Eastlink, Fido,
Koodo, MTS, Rogers, SaskTel, Telus, Videotron,
Virgin Mobile and Wind Mobile.
The company didn't announce a price; its
predecessor sold for about $600 without phone
subsidies or a contract.
Fingerprint sensor
The S5 has a fingerprint sensor to use in place of
a passcode to unlock the phone or make
payments through PayPal. It's a feature still rare
in phones, though Apple introduced it in last fall's
iPhone 5s.
Samsung's Galaxy S series has emerged as one
of the strongest challengers to Apple's iPhones
and has helped the Korean company surpass
Apple as the world's largest smartphone maker.
According to Gartner, Samsung's smartphones
had a worldwide market share of 31 per cent last
year, compared with 16 per cent for Apple's
iPhones.
A chief complaint about Samsung phones has
been the company's tendency to pack them with
a slew of features, some of which don't work well
with each other or at all. Recent phones have
sported an Easy Mode, with larger icons and
fewer customization choices. It's as though
Samsung acknowledges that its devices have
become too complex for many people to use.
Samsung showed restraint this time.
"Samsung is betting big on wellness, fingerprint
reading and camera autofocus, while keeping a
very similar look and feel for its hardware and
software," said Nick Dillon, a senior analyst at the
research firm Ovum. "The updates are so minor
that on first glance most consumers would be
hard pressed to notice that it has changed from
the previous version."
But he said that is to be expected "given the
maturity of the smartphone market and the
pressure on the Samsung not to mess with its
winning formula."
Fitness band, computerized watches
The heart-rate sensor on the S5 can be used
before and after exercise to measure fitness
activities. It's not meant for continuous tracking.
Samsung also unveiled a fitness band, Gear Fit, to
complement two new computerized watches, the
Samsung Gear 2 and the Samsung Gear 2 Neo,
announced Sunday. Those will be available April
11 as well, and will be sold in Canada.
Samsung's new Galaxy S5 smartphone, left, has a
built-in heart rate monitor to complement three
upcoming fitness devices, including the Galaxy
Gear 2, right. (Richard Drew/Associated Press)
"These devices are Samsung's commitment and
vision to great experiences that matter the most
to us all," Samsung European executive Jean-
Daniel Ayme said.
Parents, meanwhile, will enjoy the ability to hand
the phone to a kid without worry. Just place it in
a kid's mode, and only approved apps can be
accessed. Your kid can't send your boss an email
or post an embarrassing picture on Facebook
when all you intended was to have your kid play
"Candy Crush Saga."
The phone is also water resistant.
"Our consumers do not want eye-popping
technology or the most complex technology," said
J.K. Shin, Samsung's head of information
technology and the mobile communications
division. "Our consumers want durable design and
performance. Our consumers want a simple, yet
powerful camera."-The Canadian Press