Samsung Galaxy S4 Features: Which Became Standard and Which Disappeared
The Samsung Galaxy S4 launched in 2013 with a long list of futuristic features: wave your hand to skip a song, pause a video by looking away, use the touchscreen with gloves on, translate your voice, and charge without a cable. When we listed them that March, we said they showed what modern phones would get by default over the years. So, more than a decade later, which Galaxy S4 features became standard, and which quietly disappeared?
Quick answer: Several Galaxy S4 ideas are now standard on phones: wireless charging, glove-friendly touch sensitivity, dual-camera recording, health tracking (Samsung Health) and live voice translation (now Galaxy AI’s Live Translate). Others faded away: Air Gestures, Smart Pause, Smart Scroll, Group Play and the IR blaster remote (WatchOn) were dropped from later Galaxy phones.
Table of Contents
Galaxy S4 features that became standard
| 2013 Galaxy S4 feature | What it became |
|---|---|
| Wireless charging (with a special back cover) | Built into most flagship phones, using the Qi and Qi2 standards |
| Glove mode | “Touch sensitivity” setting on Samsung phones for gloves and screen protectors |
| Dual Shot (front and back camera) | Dual recording / Director’s View and similar modes on many phones |
| S Health | Samsung Health, with watch and ring integration |
| S Translator | Galaxy AI Live Translate and Interpreter, plus Google Translate |
| S Voice Drive | Android Auto and voice assistants for hands-free driving |
| HomeSync personal cloud | Cloud photo backup through Google Photos, OneDrive or Samsung Cloud |
| Drama Shot | Burst, motion photo and action-shot modes in camera apps |
Galaxy S4 features that disappeared
- Air Gestures and Air View: hover and wave controls were removed from later Galaxy S phones (the S Pen still offers some Air actions).
- Smart Pause and Smart Scroll: eye- and tilt-based controls were unreliable and dropped.
- Group Play: replaced by Bluetooth and streaming features like Auracast.
- WatchOn and the IR blaster: the infrared remote was removed from Galaxy phones after a few years; smart TVs now use apps and casting.
- Sound & Shot: photos with audio live on as Motion Photos and Live Photos instead.
Should you still use a Galaxy S4?
No, not as a main phone. It stopped getting Android updates years ago, many apps no longer install on it, and older mobile networks are being switched off in some countries. If you want a current Samsung flagship with the descendants of these features, browse the latest unlocked Galaxy S phones. Check out the most popular apps in the US and our pick of safety apps and built-in SOS features for a new phone.
FAQ
When was the Samsung Galaxy S4 released?
It was announced in March 2013 and went on sale in April 2013.
Do new Samsung phones have Air Gestures?
No. Hand-wave Air Gestures were dropped; only S Pen models keep some Air actions.
Can I still use glove mode on a Samsung phone?
Yes. Turn on Touch sensitivity in Settings > Display.
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S4 is good smartphone guys, recently i saw it in Samsung store and i felt that it will be worth every paisa ! U can wait for few days for the price to fall a little!
Samsung looks really amazing. I think there is no such mobile which can compare to Samsung galaxy s4
We Have Already Thousands of Reason To Buy This SgS4…
But No Money :(
Was this Post Sponsored from Samsung ?
We never do / accept sponsored posts.
Sounds good with the features. But cost is too high…..