Android Phone Fans

From the Forums: talking about the all new HTC One M8!
HTC One M8 vs Samsung Galaxy S5 specs comparison
These HTC One M8 commercials featuring Gary Oldman are the best [VIDEOS]
Sprint says HD Voice to finally rollout across entire country this July
NVIDIA Shield gets Android 4.4.2 KitKat, price drops to $200, Portal exclusive [WOW]
Hands-on: HTC One M8 in all its glory [VIDEO]
HTC One M8 Google Play edition now available for $700 [UPDATE]
Hands-on: HTC One M8 Dot View case brings a heavy dose of 80s nostalgia [VIDEO]
When and where to buy the HTC One M8
Are you buying the all new HTC One M8? [POLL]
HTC officially unveils the all new HTC One M8
We’re live in New York at the all new HTC One unveiling (and how to follow along!)
OnePlus One unveiling set for April 23rd
New HTC Sense apps hit Google Play ahead of HTC One 2014 launch; Google Play Edition hinted
Samsung Galaxy S5′s water resistance put to the test [VIDEO]

From the Forums: talking about the all new HTC One M8!

Posted: 25 Mar 2014 04:46 PM PDT

So we’ve seen the phone officially unveiled for the first time, gone hands-on with it, and even compared it to top competition. Now it’s time to talk about it all over at AndroidForums.com, where tons of healthy discussions are taking place about one of the most intriguing smartphone options of the year.

Log-in — or create an account if you don’t already have one — to take part in great topics like these:

All of that and much more is awaiting you right here. Don’t be shy, stop by, reply, say hi and all that jazz — we promise this is one beast that doesn’t bite back. Have at it!

HTC One M8 vs Samsung Galaxy S5 specs comparison

Posted: 25 Mar 2014 02:41 PM PDT

Talk about the all new HTC One M8 at AndroidForums.com!

So the all new HTC One M8 has been announced, is now available, and has been groped to no end. By now you’re probably wondering how it compares to the other big phone launch of the first quarter of 2014.

We’re talking about the Samsung Galaxy S5, of course, which was announced at last month’s Mobile World Congress (be sure to find our hands-on here). How do these two stack up? Almost as well as both previous handsets in the series did — nearly indistinguishable when looking at specs alone, so let’s take a closer look!

Build and Design

Not many people were thrilled with the Samsung Galaxy S5′s dotted (or dimpled, as HTC calls it) back plate, though we can’t imagine a nice case doesn’t take care of that.

The South Korean juggernaut still chose mostly plastic for the fifth version of this flagship, but that’s not so bad. Plastic can be durable, and — if properly taken care of — can also look good over time. It also keeps you clear of any possible reception issues that metal might introduce.

Still, we can’t help but to stare at the all new HTC One M8′s metal exterior. Its unibody chassis coated in the neutral colors seen below draw our eye just as much as the original did.

We would have loved it if HTC used the lack of hardware navigation buttons as an opportunity to cut down on the vertical length of the device, but woe are those who don’t get what they want. The HTC One M8 might not have taken a huge leap over the previous model in terms of design language, but you simply don’t fix what isn’t broken.

Display

Both devices are sporting a 1920 x 1080 display. It’s quite interesting that neither decided to push things to the limit, though perhaps these companies are finally learning that increased screen resolution just doesn’t make much of a difference to the human eye at these limited screen sizes.

There is a bit of size difference, though, with the all new HTC One coming in at 5 inches and the Galaxy S5 stretched out to about 5.1 inches.

Processor, Performance and Battery

This is where these two seem like twins — both are packing the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset, and both are also infused with 2GB of RAM. Samsung’s model does come clocked about .200MHz faster, for what it’s worth. We should also note that Samsung will use their own Octa-Core solution for handsets in select markets, though we don’t expect that configuration to be as widely available as the Snapdragon one. The HTC One M8 enjoys a standard 32GB of internal storage alongside a microSD card slot, though, so it gets a bit of a leg up there.

The difference in perceived performance will undoubtedly come at what is going on at the software level. The two might have nearly the same exact internals, but they can run extremely different depending on how much or how little optimization is done.

In the areas of battery, the Samsung Galaxy S5 enjoys a 2,800mAh pack inside, while the all new HTC One has 2,600mAh. HTC says they’ve conditioned the HTC One M8 to go easy on it, though, as they claim to be able to pull about 21 hours of talk time out of it. They also have a new “extreme battery saving” option that will allow the phone to survive for two whole weeks on a full charge (so long as the user isn’t actually using it, natch).

Software and Features

HTC Sense 6.0 on the all new HTC One M8 didn’t take many huge leaps, though we do get a few new features. For starters, new unlocking mechanisms called Motion Launch now allow you to double tap your display to unlock to the home-screen, or use swipe gestures to go straight to the camera, BlinkFeed, and more.

BlinkFeed also gets a bit of a facelift, though basic functionality of providing updates about news, social network posts and more are largely unchanged. One of the most obvious changes is the addition of on-screen navigation buttons in absence of physical ones. HTC also added new camera features and enhanced Zoe, though we’ll be discussing those in a separate section. Rounding out the list are redesigned Gallery and SenseTV apps.

The Samsung Galaxy S5′s user experience was more of an iteration than a reinvention, as well. Samsung took care to center the experience around health more than ever before, and also threw in some newly-styled quick settings toggles.

The device’s Fingerprint scanner also gives it a unique way to unlock the phone, though there isn’t much else for it to do beyond providing enhanced security and an easy, quick way to process Paypal payments. The Galaxy S5 can also monitor your heartbeat if you want it to — perfect for all you health nuts out there.

Camera

This is one of the most interesting areas of competition between these two, especially for the all new HTC One M8. HTC has introduced a dual-camera configuration that isn’t totally unlike that which we got on the HTC EVO 3D a few years ago.

The HTC One’s main rear camera is still an UltraPixel sensor — which focuses on wider pixels for better low light performance more than higher megapixel count — but has been supplemented with a 2.0 megapixel camera that enables a couple of cool new things.

For starters, this will help users refocus shots after they’ve already been taken. It’s great for those fast shots where you didn’t have time to get everything setup exactly how you wanted before snapping the photo.

There’s also a “foregrounder” tool that will allow you to quickly and easily extract subjects out of a photo which will come in handy for setting up your own whacky scenes. It also allows you to enable some cool 3D effects that can only be done by having two cameras.

Rounding out HTC’s camera features include an upgraded Zoe mode, which can now automatically optimize your video / photo highlight to the beat of whichever soundtrack you chose (meaning your slideshow will flow just as naturally as the music does). HTC tells of an upcoming cloud and share feature, though this isn’t available at launch.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 stayed on a more traditional route in terms of camera, with the company bumping the sensor to 16 megapixels. More than just a megapixel increase, though, Samsung is using their new ISOCELL camera sensors that could allow DSLR-like photos without having to have a DSLR-sized sensor. More about all of that can be found here.

What’s your take?

And that about does it for these two. Two great smartphones, two great options for the first half of 2014 (one of which is already available as early as today). Which one would you go with? You already know what to do with the poll below, so take care of that. Have more to say than a simple tick box on a poll? The comments section below should get you well on your way to a very capable soapbox.

These HTC One M8 commercials featuring Gary Oldman are the best [VIDEOS]

Posted: 25 Mar 2014 02:41 PM PDT

Allow me to be candid for a moment in saying that Gary mother-freakin’ Oldman is not only one of my longtime personal favorite actors, he is also one of Hollywood’s most underrated, badass actors of our generation. We suppose it’s only fitting that he’s also the new spokesperson in a series of commercials that have just been uploaded to HTC America’s YouTube channel.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned after reading the many HTC One M8 reviews hitting the web, the phone has been a bit polarizing in the opinions of the device. It seems HTC had the foresight in predicting this, with their new ads featuring Oldman sitting at his desk, casually mentioning that the all new HTC One was “designed for people who form their own opinions,” proceeded by him telling you to “go ahead, ask the internet” what they think about the phone.

We’re guessing he’s hinting at trying/feeling/holding the phone out for yourself before forming any real impressions. Great advice coming from the Commissioner himself. Which leaves us wondering, what happened to RDJ? You can find both ad spots below.

Sprint says HD Voice to finally rollout across entire country this July

Posted: 25 Mar 2014 02:02 PM PDT

During a keynote at Oracle Industry Connect, Sprint’s CEO Dan Hesse took the stage to talk network plans. You may remember Sprint’s HD Voice which, after it became available in a few select markets like Kansas City, was supposed to have fully rolled out to the rest of the country by the end of last year.

What ever the reason for the delays, Hesse told the crowd that HD Voice was still Sprint’s “killer app,” now promising to deliver the service to the entire country by the first of July. If the name wasn’t any clue, HD Voice improves the clarity of voice calls by increasing the octave range from 4, to a full 7 octaves in compatible handsets.

It doesn’t sounds like a big deal, but it’s an improvement that’s seemingly fallen to the wayside as operators chase broadband-like data speeds. Maybe we’ll actually start using our smartphones again to make actual phone calls.

[via LightReading]

NVIDIA Shield gets Android 4.4.2 KitKat, price drops to $200, Portal exclusive [WOW]

Posted: 25 Mar 2014 12:43 PM PDT

Gotta hand it to NVIDIA, they’re doing their best to make the NVIDIA Shield a thing and if you though the chip maker would just up and quit the Android handheld, you’d be wrong. So very wrong. Announced just today, NVIDIA will begin updating Shields to Android 4.4 KitKat, introducing a boatload of new software features.

Said to arrive on April 2nd, Shield owners can expect a revamped UI for the Gamepad Mapper, ability to stream PC games outside of the house, Bluetooth keyboard and mice compatibility, charging the device while using USB connected peripherals, as well as PC wake ups and remote logins. While NVIDIA recommends a “robust” WiFi connection for streaming away from home, there are new settings to adjust the bitrate/frame rate of the incoming stream.

And that’s only the half of it, NVIDIA will also be dropping the price of the Shield down to $200, finally bringing the cost of the device low enough to rival handhelds like the Sony PS Vita, and Nintendo 3DS. That price is only good for the month of April, so if you were thinking about picking one up, you have a few weeks to think about it.

At $200, we wouldn’t exactly call this a fire sale, but it makes us wonder if NVIDIA isn’t trying to clear up some stock before introducing a sleekier, more powerful Tegra K1 powered Shield in the very near future.

When it comes to actual games, legendary game developer Valve has announced an Android port of their hit title Portal will be making its way to the Shield. No word on a release date just yet, only NVIDIA CEO Jen Sen showing off the game running natively on the Shield during their GPU Technology Conference keynote. For anyone that never got the chance to play the game when it was released back in 2007 — now’s your freakin’ chance.

Buy an NVIDIA Shield from popular retailers here.

Hands-on: HTC One M8 in all its glory [VIDEO]

Posted: 25 Mar 2014 11:34 AM PDT

Talk about the all new HTC One M8 at AndroidForums.com!

Looking for hands-on with the all new HTC One M8? Look no further, as we’ve already gotten some up-close and personal time with this bad boy in New York City. The device was just announced this morning, and brings to the table a healthy suite of improvements over the original 2013 model it was named after.

Beefier internals, ambitious new camera features and one of the coolest cases we’ve ever seen were all unveiled, and we’re bringing you an even closer look. Touched on in this video are the cool Dot View case (which you can find more details about in the hands-on right here), new camera features, BlinkFeed and Motion Launch, and more new goodies added as part of HTC Sense 6.0 (which we regret to inform you HTC is trying to call the “Sixth Sense”).

All in all, the device you see above and in the photos below seem to be quite gorgeous at first glance, even if not quite as gorgeous as the original HTC One was in its heyday. Can’t go wrong with a zero-gap brushed aluminum construction, though, which makes this thing feel like one of the most premium pieces of technology you can find today.

Want to know more? Just hit that big play button above to be whisked away to smartphone bliss, and stay tuned for more coverage about the HTC One M8 coming up shortly (including our full review in the days to come)!

HTC One M8 Google Play edition now available for $700 [UPDATE]

Posted: 25 Mar 2014 11:08 AM PDT

If you’ve been eyeballing the HTC One M8 since it became official early this morning, you’re not alone. So were we. For those that perhaps weren’t too crazy about the idea of HTC Sense 6.0 running the show — good news. The listing for the HTC M8 Google Play edition is now live in the Play Store. While that doesn’t mean the phone is actually available right now, we’re expecting it orders to begin sometime in late April (whenever the phone becomes widely available for other carriers).

Those curious about pricing will find the phone carrying the heft price tag of $700. No surprise there. That’s the kinda price you have to pay for quality. The good news? The HTC M8 Google Play edition is running a stock Android experience and receives updates nearly as quick as Nexus devices. Also, with HTC’s new apps hitting the Play Store, expect features like the IR blaster to remain intact for the Google Play edition, as well as others. Don’t you just love this new trend?

As for carrier compatibility, keep in mind the HTC M8 Google Play edition is only compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile’s networks (just like last year’s model). For all those interested, Google Play link provided below.

UPDATE: It looks like it’s finally available, with shipping times scheduled to leave the warehouse in 2-3 weeks.

Purchase on Google Play: HTC One M8 Google Play edition

Hands-on: HTC One M8 Dot View case brings a heavy dose of 80s nostalgia [VIDEO]

Posted: 25 Mar 2014 10:41 AM PDT

The flip case isn’t a new idea by any means. We saw them rise in popularity after the iPad made them mainstream and eventually they began making their way to phablets like the Galaxy Note and even last year’s HTC One. That being said, leave it to HTC’s design team to dress it up a bit, adding equal parts style and function — even a splash of 80s nostalgia — in the “Dot View case” for the HTC One M8.

We’ve already seen the case leaked out in pictures. Featuring tiny holes that allow light to peak through (Lite-Brite, anyone?), the Dot View case shows everything from the time, to weather, or incoming calls. Where the average flip case has you opening the protective cover in order to interact with the device, the Dot View case actually allows the flap to remain shut, as shown in our hands-on video. Again, it’s nothing ground breaking, just a way to add a little style and make your friends go, “Woah.”

HTC’s Dot View flip covers will be available in Warm Black, Imperial Blue, Orange Popsicle, Atlantis (green), Baton Rouge (dark red) — $50 each via HTC’s online store here.

When and where to buy the HTC One M8

Posted: 25 Mar 2014 09:21 AM PDT

Talk about the all new HTC One M8 at AndroidForums.com!

We know many of you are super excited to get your hands on a brand new HTC One M8. The device is hot! It offers some great specs, an awesome list of new features and a build quality & design that will turn heads. To make things better, HTC is holding one of the best launches we have seen in Android’s history.

The HTC One M8 is being released in over 230 carriers and over 100 countries. In addition, people in Australia, Taiwan, the UK, Germany, France, China and the US will all have it available before the end of April.

Can I buy it today?

There have been rumors of the device becoming available as soon as today, its announcement date (March 25th). This is certainly true! Verizon stores across the USA will have it available in store starting TODAY. Or you can buy it online after 1 PM Eastern from one of the following US and Canadian carriers.

AT&T
Sprint
Verizon Wireless
Rogers
Bell
Telus

Price starts at $199 to $249 on-contract (depending on the carrier), while buying it off-contract will set you back $599 to $649. There will also be a Google Play Edition that will cost $699, but that version is coming later.

For more purchasing details, you can also go to HTC’s One M8 purchase page. All details in that page should go live as soon as 1 PM Eastern comes around. So, who is buying one? I am thinking of heading to my local Verizon store and getting one today!

[HTC]

Are you buying the all new HTC One M8? [POLL]

Posted: 25 Mar 2014 09:07 AM PDT

Talk about the all new HTC One M8 at AndroidForums.com!

So HTC has finally taken the wraps off of the all new HTC One, and the moment of truth is here — will you be buying one? Many are already pondering that very question over at AndroidForums.com, and we certainly wouldn’t mind hearing from the Phandroid faithful.

The all new HTC One is an all-metal device with a 5-inch 1080p HD display, Snapdragon 801 processor, HTC Duo UltraPixel camera, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and more. You can find more of the juicy details over at the announcement post, so be sure to check that out if you aren’t up to speed on what it’s bringing to the table.

Drop a vote in the poll. Whether you’re already scrounging up your pennies or passing on the HTC One for something else, we want to know why! Be sure to head to the comments and let us know why you chose whichever path you chose.

HTC officially unveils the all new HTC One M8

Posted: 25 Mar 2014 08:16 AM PDT

Talk about the all new HTC One M8 at AndroidForums.com!

It’s finally official, folks. The all new HTC One M8 — also known as the HTC M8 and HTC One 2014 — has been officially announced by the Taiwanese manufacturer. The surprise factor has been crushed by tons of leaks leading up to today’s happenings, but the details are finally official and this is the phone you can look forward to as early as today.

It’s an all-metal, zero-gap unibody chassis with a whole lot of goodness packed inside. HTC took special care to mention that their antenna is built into the rear of the device’s body, so the metal shouldn’t interfere with day-to-day usage. Let’s hop right into what makes its gears turn!

HTC One M8 Specs

Standard affair for a high-end 2014 device, here. The all new HTC One doesn’t take many chances, but it’s still sitting at the height of the mobile totem pole. Here’s what’s going to be packed inside its unibody zero-gap frame:

5-inch 1080p HD display
Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor
2GB of RAM
32GB of internal storage w/ microSD slot up to 128GB
HTC UltraPixel Duo Camera
5.0MP front camera
2,600mAh battery (21 hours talk time, 40% longer than original HTC One)
Stereo BoomSound speakers with 25% louder sound
GPS, WiFi ac, NFC, IR Blaster
146.3 x 70.6 x 9.35mm, 160g
Android 4.4.2 with HTC Sense 6.0

About what we expected, but it’s nice to see it all confirmed anyway. We did learn a lot more about the hardware, though, including the fact that the BoomSound speakers are now 25% louder, and you’ll be able to send the music playing through those speakers to any Bluetooth speaker with the swipe of three fingers.

The battery also delivers 40% longer battery life than the original HTC One despite only being just a smidgen larger in capacity.

HTC Sense 6.0 on the HTC One M8

HTC Sense on the all new HTC One will be upgraded to version 6.0, bringing some cool upgrades that should make for a thrilling experience. HTC hasn’t reinvented the wheel here, but the additions add to an already robust suite of features and services that we’ve come to know and love.

HTC has implemented a new “extreme battery saver” mode that will allow your phone to stay alive for up to two weeks in standby mode on a full charge. They haven’t gone into great detail about how it does this, but we imagine they tone the processor down a ton and turn off a ton of battery-draining radios. HTC says you can enter this mode manually, or have your phone do it automatically whenever battery capacity reaches 5%, 10% or 15%.

Motion Launch is another new piece of equipment baked in, giving you some easy-to-use gestures for unlocking your smartphone straight to BlinkFeed, the camera or your favorite app. For instance, to unlock to your last activity you simply hold the device in an upright portrait-oriented position and double tap the display. Do the same in landscape mode and you’ll go to the camera instead.

HTC One M8 UltraPixel Duo Camera

Of noteworthy interest are the new camera features thanks to the aforementioned Duo Camera — consisting of HTC’s 4.1 UltraPixel camera and an accompanying 2.0 megapixel sensor — bringing the ability to refocus shots after the photo has already been taken, as well as applying 3D effects to your images.

The depth information saved in each photo (thanks to the dual camera sensors) also allows the HTC One M8 to dynamically and easily remove a photo’s background so you can put your subjects in a new setting.

Zoe also brings us a more refined set of tools to put together video and photo highlights of our lives’ most memorable moments. More specifically, Zoe now has a beat-mapping feature that can put your highlights together to the sound of whatever soundtrack you selected. HTC has also enabled automatic cloud backups for all these clips.

Other improvements to the camera include 50% faster focus speed over the original HTC One, a brand new gallery app, quick access to modes such as selfies and slow motion video, and more.

HTC One M8 Dot View Case

HTC took a quick second to show off their Dot View case that gives you an interesting “smart view” of your world’s happenings without having to fully power the display on. You’re able to check time, weather, new texts, emails and incoming / missed calls, and using the aforementioned Motion Launch feature you’ll be able to immediately answer a phone call simply by bringing it up to your ear.

HTC One M8 Availability

HTC has announced that the M8 is headed to more than 230 carriers in more than 100 carriers, many of which will go down before the end of April.

A lot of folks won’t have to wait that long, though, with HTC announcing that you’ll be able to go to Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, Rogers, Bell and Telus websites starting at 1PM this afternoon, with phones arriving as early as tomorrow! Those on Verizon will also be able to head into their local store today and finagle one themselves starting at 1PM.

As for the rest of the pack, HTC says most launches will happen before April 10th, so it’s only a short couple of weeks before a vast majority of the mobile-loving world gets their hands on one of these.

We’re live in New York at the all new HTC One unveiling (and how to follow along!)

Posted: 25 Mar 2014 06:55 AM PDT

Just a quick reminder that today is the day that the all new HTC One — otherwise known as the HTC M8 — will be unveiled! We’re on the ground in New York City ready to bring you all the live coverage that you can handle.

All of the leaks leading up to today’s events haven’t left much room for imagination, but there’s still a chance to be a few secrets HTC has kept tucked away so you won’t want to miss all the awesomeness to come.

Want to follow along live? Don’t forget you can head to HTC’s website to see everything go down live. The live streamer doesn’t seem to be up just yet, but we’ll update this post whenever that changes.

Once you’re finished with that you’ll want to circle back to Phandroid.com for live hands-on coverage from the event. It all begins at 11AM eastern (that’s 3PM over in the UK) so buckle up and get ready!

OnePlus One unveiling set for April 23rd

Posted: 25 Mar 2014 06:44 AM PDT

Tired of all the information about the OnePlus One being revealed little by little? Tired of not having seen the device at all? Well, the infant manufacturer has delivered a bit of a pick-me-up this morning — the wait won’t be for much longer. OnePlus has announced that they will be fully unveiling the OnePlus One on April 23rd, 2014.

That’s just a bit over a month from now, but we’ve waited this long for all the official details, and I’m sure we can hold out just a bit longer. What we already know about the OnePlus One has us excited. Here are the early specs we’re told to look forward to:

Qualcomm Snapdragon 801
3,100mAh battery with QuickCharge (charges to 75% in 30 minutes)
5.5-inch 1080p HD display
13 megapixel f/2.0 Sony EXMOR camera with 4K video recording
Custom version of CyanogenMod with touchless controls

All of this is supposed to be coming to us for under $400, though an exact price point has yet to be formally determined. The OnePlus One is looking to arrive in Q2 2014, so prepare those wallets if this is shaping up to be a device you can see yourself walking around with.

[via OnePlus]

New HTC Sense apps hit Google Play ahead of HTC One 2014 launch; Google Play Edition hinted

Posted: 25 Mar 2014 05:13 AM PDT

It looks like HTC will be looking to decouple some of their apps from HTC Sense starting with the all new HTC One. Brand new HTC Sense applications have started to swirl into the Google Play Store ahead of its unveiling later on today, which we’ll be covering right here on Phandroid.com. It would be the first time HTC has looked to decouple applications from their firmware, something we hope will become a trend for all manufacturers going forward.

So what’s up for grabs? The first one is something no one can download — HTC’s BlinkFeed launcher. It seems like only the all new HTC One will be able to download this one, as it has received no ratings or reviews in the Google Play Store. Availability of the latest BlinkFeed update might chance once the all new HTC One launches and more old HTC phones are updated to official firmware, but for now it seems to be showing up as unavailable for all HTC devices.

The next two seem to be available on HTC’s latest devices. One is the HTC Service Pack, which stands to “make your HTC experience more reliable.”

The other is the HTC SenseTV app which allows you to browse local listings and even control televisions on HTC devices with an infrared blaster. The app also provides a decent “second screen” experience that delivers up a synopsis, information about casts and characters and more while watching movies or TV shows.

The SenseTV app can also show live scores and stats during sporting events. Of noteworthy mention is the fact that those with the HTC One 2013 Google Play Edition can finally download it, so be sure to take care of that if you’ve been jonesing for it.

Speaking of Google Play Edition, we might have gotten our first hint that the all new HTC One will, in fact, come in GPe flavoring. The final app in this round of launches is called HTC Gallery, and its Google Play description notes the following disclaimer:

Support for HTC One(M8) Google Play Edition is limited to HTC Photo Edit.

We can’t take that as official gospel just yet, but it’s as close as we’re going to get with the event just hours away. The new Gallery app itself also appears to be available for nothing but the all new HTC One. It’ll give you a simple interface for viewing and editing photos, but that’s about it.

Whether some or all of this will be coming to older HTC phones in future software upgrades remains to be seen, but we should have a better idea of HTC’s plans once all of today’s festivities are over and done with. Stay tuned to Phandroid for continued coverage!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Samsung Galaxy S5′s water resistance put to the test [VIDEO]

Posted: 24 Mar 2014 08:17 PM PDT

Despite pwning noobz in worldwide market share, Samsung doesn’t exactly have the best reputation when it comes to device build quality. Maybe this is why some were skeptical over Samsung’s claims that the Samsung Galaxy S5 would come with an IP67 rating for dust/water resistance. A great feature to have, no doubt. But with all those buttons, ports, and a removable backplate, we heard it joked that Samsung could soon land themselves in hot water if future users put too much faith in the claim, taking the phone with them into the pool.

Thankfully, some folks in a Russian YouTube channel are putting Samsung’s IP67 claims to the test, submersing the phone for 8 minutes in over 1 meter of grimey, funky water. The result? Well, I don’t want to spoil it for you, but let’s just say we were pleasantly surprised at how well the phone held up (even if we’d have to give it a once over with some Windex before ever touching it again). Check it out for yourselves in the video below.

android

Tuesday, 25 March 2014