Rumor: Samsung to offer a GS4 variant with a 16 megapixel camera and optical zoom?

BY Stefan Constantinescu

Published 7 May 2013

Samsung’s 13 megapixel camera in the Galaxy S4 is getting praise from just about everyone who touches it. Which brings up the obvious question: Can the company make it even better? According to SamMobile, the answer is yes. They say that Samsung will release a device called the “GS4 Zoom” this summer that comes with a 16 megapixel camera and what I assume is optical zoom.

Now don’t get fooled, the GS4 Zoom isn’t going to have all the features of the GS4. One might say it isn’t going to have any of them. The screen is smaller (4.3 inches, qHD), the processor is slower (dual core or quad core, hasn’t been decided yet), and it’ll come with just 8 GB of built-in storage. Of course you’ll be able to add more via microSD, but still.

What I want to know is how exactly will this thing going to compete with the two other GS4 variants we heard about, the GS4 Active and the GS4 Mini? In case you don’t know about them, the GS4 Active is pretty much the exact same phone as the GS4, except that it’s water proof and dust proof. And as for the GS4 Mini, it sounds like the GS4 Zoom, except it has an ordinary camera.

I’m sure all of this will make sense later this year; right now Samsung’s portfolio just confuses me.