When Samsung released the Galaxy S4 it
followed up the popular handset with four
slightly different versions that appealed
to a range of users. We had the S4 mini, a more
compact, less powerful handset that also came in at
a slightly cheaper price; we had the S4 Google Play
Edition, which ran a vanilla Android OS; there was
the S4 Zoom, which featured a 16Mp camera; and
then there was the S4 Active, a dustproof, waterproof,
rugged version of the standard Galaxy S4 designed
for those with an active lifestyle.
The Galaxy K Zoom has already been announced,
and there have been rumours of an S5 mini (see
previous article) and a new S5 Prime (see next article).
But we had assumed, given the Galaxy S5’s dust- and
waterproofing credentials, an Active version would
not be required. Isn’t the Samsung Galaxy S5 already
a rugged smartphone?
We were wrong, it would appear, according to
several videos posted on YouTube by TK Tech News.
Release date
Samsung’s Galaxy Premiere press event is
scheduled for 12 June in New York. We wouldn’t
be surprised to see the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active
make its appearance at this event, making it likely
that the S5 Active will be available to buy in the
UK by the end of June. After all, at last year’s
Premiere event we saw the appearance of the
S4 mini, Active and Zoom. Price
Amazon lists the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active’s RRP
as £580, although it is currently selling there for
£285. By comparison, the standard S4 has an RRP
of £629, yet sells for £310. The S5, meanwhile, has
an RRP of £599 and sells for around £495. Following
this pattern, the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active will
probably have an RRP around £550, and quickly be
discounted below £500.
Design
The only major differences between the Galaxy S4
and Galaxy S4 Active were its slightly sturdier (by
this we mean slightly chunkier, taller and heavier),
water- and dustproof body, lower camera resolution (8Mp vs 13Mp) and underwater photography mode,
plus three plastic hardware buttons on its front.
From the videos we can see the Galaxy S5 Active
retains the Galaxy S4 Active’s hardware buttons, plus
you can see S5-specific features such as the heartrate
sensor. Once again, it looks a little larger than
the standard version, and features a metal (possibly
aluminium) chassis with hard rubberised corners to
protect against damage. The rubber waterproofing
seal is deeper than that of the standard S5,
suggesting it will survive longer underwater.
