Samsung’s latest flagship, the Galaxy S4 has also spawned a number of spin-off devices. Namely the Galaxy S4 Active, the Galaxy S4 Mini and the Galaxy S4 Zoom, each with their own unique characteristics, while still being a Galaxy S4. The Galaxy S4 Active is a rugged device that’s more “life proof” than it is a “life companion”, the Galaxy S4 Mini offers people a smaller device and the Galaxy S4 Zoom is almost a completely different device. The Galaxy S4 Zoom features a 16-megapixel camera with a 10x optical zoom lens, along with a much more powerful flash. It even has a tripod mount. That’s because the Galaxy S4 Zoom is essentially a Galaxy S4 Mini crossed with a point-and-shoot digital camera.
It’s been on sale around the globe for some time and now, it’s apparently heading to AT&T. The infamous @evleaks recently tweeted a picture of the Galaxy S4 Zoom running on AT&T’s network. Stating that the device is a 2013 entry into AT&T’s line-up. As you can see in the image below, it’s running on AT&T’s network and it appears to have some AT&T specific apps running on the device.
The Galaxy S4 Zoom is a questionable device, it’s too thick to be considered a general smartphone and the camera side of things isn’t that much better to warrant the extra bulk. We have a review unit in right now and will have a review up shortly. However, at least Samsung offers such a device. Even in smartphones like the Xperia Z1 and it’s 20.7-megapixel sensor and “G” Lens, flash performance is poor and quality optics are often lacking. What Samsung offers with the Galaxy S4 Zoom is the best of both worlds – a modern smartphone with a modern digital camera, too.
Pricing wise, we shouldn’t expect to see this go fro any more than $199 on contract and even then it’s questionable, as the dual-core CPU and 4.3-inch qHD display won’t offer much to those looking for serious horsepower. Hopefully, this launches on AT&T soon so those looking for a decent smartphone with a decent camera can get their hands on Samsung’s latest cameraphone.