What they found out

The folks at iFixit just love tearing down smartphones and this was no different for the Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV when it officially came out. After a brief tear down they discovered that the Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV:

• has a removable battery
• has an iFixit score of 8 out of 10
• uses IR sensors near the screen to enable Air View and Air Gesture
• has one of the most sensitive screens around (can even use with gloves)
• has the same 4G LTE chip as Google Nexus 4

Practically all of the major telcos have already come out with their bundle plans for the Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV. While not totally unexpected, all of them are offering the Non-LTE enabled Exynos 5 Octa powered Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV or I9500. The estimated RRP for this model is at RM2199. According to some telcos the LTE-enabled version or I9505 is coming soon, perhaps to be offered with a suitable LTE bundle plan.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 has also made an appearance under the Celcom banner, with a number of bundles for this S Pen enabled tablet. The lowest subsidized price begins from RM1088, which is about RM600 less than the current RRP of RM1699. For full details check out the table below:

Maxis have also come out with their Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV plan bundles and again it looks like it is the Non-LTE powered version. Perhaps the LTE-enabled version will come out with a special Maxis 4G LTE plan bundle later on, which Maxis have confirmed by saying that it is "Coming Soon". The lowest subsidized price of RM1149 has a couple of conditions which include:

• Exclusive for Online offers only
• Normal Price is RM1249
• Only available for New Maxis Line subscriptions

Celcom has released their bundle plans for the Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV (Non-LTE) version. In a show of flexibility normally unseen before in previous initial offers, the Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV is being offered under 12 months, 18 months and 24 months contracts and for nearly all of the bundles including Celcom First Prime, Celcom First Premier, Celcom First Elite and mPro Plus. The lowest subsidized price of RM1338 is of course only for a 24 month contract but there are more than one choice available. Check out the table below for all the details:

While we're on the actual launch date for the Malaysia launch of the Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV, Samsung recently released a Dual-SIM version powered by an Exynos 5 Octa processor. Targeting the China market this previously unheard of Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV version goes by the model number of I9502 which is quite apt since the standard Exynos 5 Octa powered Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV goes by the model number of I9500.

That being said, the I9502 has practically the same tech specs as the I9500 such as the aforementioned Exynos 5 Octa processor, a 13MP camera, 5-inch Super AMOLED 1080P screen and so forth. It is 2g heavier but apart from that and the Dual-SIM capability it is identical.

Just like all the other telcos in Malaysia, Celcom have come out with a Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV offer for tomorrow's official launch of the smartphone. This offer is at a jaw dropping RM588 but there are a number of conditions that have to be met to get that price which include:

• You have to buy it during the launch
• You must sign up for the Celcom First Voice with a Data mPro bundle plan

There is no doubt about it, the Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV has got to be one of the most popular and in-demand smartphones around. Users in the US are clamoring for it just as much as users over here in Malaysia. Unfortunately there is such a thing as demand outstripping supply, which has been blamed for the recent delays of the Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV in the US.

Already, some US carriers such as T-Mobile are moving the pre-order campaign from 24 April 2013 to 29 April 2013. Sprint is also moving the sales start from 27 April 2013 to a later but still unnamed date. According to these carriers, online pre-orders will be filled first before other orders can be processed.

While the Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV is probably the most feature-filled smartphone of its class it isn't able to match the Sony Xperia Z in one aspect, which is mainly its IP57 certification, or its ability to withstand water, dust and the elements. This may no longer be the case as Young Soo Kim, President of Samsung Gulf was recently quoted as saying that a tough, more rugged version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV is currently being developed.

This is good news for those of us with butterfingers who tend to drop our smartphones on a regular basis. Unfortunately he did not mention how this would be achieved, only that a water and dust resistant Samsung Galaxy S4 was already being developed and that it would be announced in a few more weeks. This also means that if you've been waiting for the official release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 (Tomorrow, 27 April 2013) and you have butterfingers as well, it may be good for you if you wait a while longer.

After a bit of registering interest and waiting, U Mobile have finally sent off their Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV bundle details. On top of offering the Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV at just RM899, they've also included a new plan called the U Plus plan. This new U Plus plan is supposedly for only selected loyal U Mobile postpaid customers so if you're a prepaid user or have only just started with the U Mobile bandwagon you're out of luck. The other plans that go with the Samsung Galaxy S4 / S IV include the U58, U88 and the U Premium plans. For more details, check out the table below: