Unveiled on February 24, 2014 at Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, Spain, with much hullaballoo, expectations from Samsung Galaxy S5 were high. But to be direct and use the old cliché in plain words, it is simply new wine in old bottle. I remember when Galaxy S5’s predecessor S4 was released, I straightaway bought it after being charmed with its mesmerizing features; superfast processor, brilliant screen, innovatory features and a decent battery life for a five-incher.
 
And, hold your breath, I have no plans to upgrade it to S5. Trust me, if today, I have to choose between the two, S4 will win blindly. The reasons being are kaleidoscopic and voluminous. You’ll see after reading this review. Expect a jaw drop when you see the price difference between the two.
 
After iphone 5S’s debut in September last year, I expected Samsung to ‘copy’ at least the 64-bit architecture in phones that Apple still boasts off since I-phone 5S’s release. No doubt S5 has a relatively fast processor Snapdragon 801 as compared to S4’s Snapdragon 600 but what about cores? Octa, in both the cases. Some months back there were news reports suggesting that Samsung has started building 3GB rams for its devices, but S5 disappoints. It has only 2GB RAM exactly like its predecessor.
 
Back Camera provides a hope by an increase in the resolution by 3 megapixels. But honestly speaking, is that required? Would you even spot a difference between the images taken with S4’s 13mp or S5’s 16mp? And there is absolutely no change in the front camera. Samsung, reiterating the facts: megapixel war is over now. One should appreciate that some nifty features like hybrid auto-focus and improved HDR have been added. But disappointingly, some important features have been left with. The most important being the optical image stabilization.

               
 
Moreover, there has been an upgrade in battery in Galaxy S5 but by just 200 mAh. So Battery life would be comparatively better than its predecessor but it would hardly be visible. Power saver mode seems a bit of an improvement.
 
In case of screen size, the same logic is applied. Increasing the standard, so as to have it look different and upgraded on paper and commercials only. The upgrade is just 0.1 per cent than its predecessor with same 1080p Super AMOLED tech. I was hoping for the bezel-less or even the curved screen (as propagated by industry rumors) but Samsung is not ready yet? Even after one year after introducing S4 in the markets and after LG has advanced in curved screen long back.
 
Shockingly, there is an increase in the weight also by 15 grams. All we are witnessing are the updates and the upgrades and no remarkable USP that would have resulted in wagging tongues.

Galaxy S5 boasts of the ‘new’ Android Kitkat software but the reality is that it was months ago introduced in Google’s Nexus series. And hasn’t the S4 got the Kitkat update? Why even debate this? The expectation was that there would be updates to Samsung’s infamous TouchWiz software. What we were provided with is a software experience that has tweaks and colorful icons and images.
 
The biggest and the generational disappointment is the appearance of S series phones. Honestly, Samsung doesn’t even bother to spend a penny on the style and ergonomics part of the phone. Doesn’t that account for much of the customers who trash the entire tech over appearance? Its time Samsung seriously looks into its Research and Design Department and give them some brain tonics. No answer to a Samsung brand basher who says that a 5k and 50k phones look the same. Sadly, the new ‘perforated’ look looks like a band aid.
 
Samsung was known to be the front runner in debuting new features and futuristic technologies but only up to now. Galaxy S5 is dust and water resistant but isn’t that something already introduced by Sony Xperia Z series phones? Where is the newbie? Fingerprint feature is cool but again, Apple has already introduced it iPhone S5 and it works like a charm, where is the newbie? 4K recording is in the air and Sony has mastered that, much earlier. Again, where is the newbie? Okay, it has a heartbeat scanner: good one though but with risk of adding more radiation emitting and it can’t work on the go which clearly defeats the purpose of this much hyped “new” feature in it.
 
In conclusion, Galaxy S5 is a disappointment and way too overpriced as compared to its competitors as well as to its predecessor which boosts of almost the same features. The high price will repel even the hardcore Samsung loyalists. After domination in the mobile tech industry, Samsung now seems to be relying on its brand name and prevailing market share, instead of any creativity. After all that is what Samsung is and has been become famous for.  Not to take away anything from Samsung, I am still hopeful that they would come with something original and breathtaking.

         
 
I am now waiting for Note 4 with Android 5 or, even as a tech-savvy, for I Phone 6 (rumored to come in big screen) as both seem promisingly packed with newness and lot of USPs.

(The writer is a student of Jamia Millia Islamia)