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Samsung S4 Zoom sticks a compact camera on the back of a smartphone

LONDON — Samsung today announced its first truly hybrid smartphone-camera. The Galaxy S4 Zoom is a smartphone with a camera touting specs such as a 16-megapixel resolution and a 10X optical zoom lens.

LONDON — Samsung today announced its first truly hybrid smartphone-camera. The Galaxy S4 Zoom is a smartphone with a camera touting specs such as a 16-megapixel resolution and a 10X optical zoom lens.

At first glance, you might think someone has bound a compact camera to the back of the S4 smartphone with an invisible rubber band. Sure, it may look ridiculous now but it could yet be the look for future smartphones.

As part of the Galaxy S4 family, the device touts a Android 4.2.2 phone combined with the advanced photographic power of a 16-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, Optical Image Sensor, Xenon Flash and a 10X optical zoom lens. It comes with an internal storage space of 8GB, with an option to expand through its microSD slot (up to 64GB).

It also has a Zoom Ring that you can twist to activate an In-Call Photo Share feature, said its press release. This lets you snap a picture and share it via MMS to whomever you were speaking to.

This is not the first time Samsung has tried the blur the lines between a smartphone and a camera. Last year, the Korean tech giant launched the Galaxy Camera, a compact shooter with Wi-Fi capability and ran on an Android operating system. According to a Samsung spokesperson, the S4 Zoom — besides being an Android phone with high end camera features — includes features found on its flagship S4 smartphones, including Touchwiz and Story Album. And above all, the S4 Zoom offers cellular connectivity while the Galaxy Camera does not.

Mr JK Shin, President and CEO, Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics, said: “As communication continues to become increasingly visual in nature, people wish to capture and share their moments in the highest quality possible — but often do not carry a dedicated camera for this purpose.

“The Galaxy S4 Zoom combines the functionality and connectivity of the S4 with the high quality photographic experience you’d expect from a compact camera. The result is truly the best of both worlds, without compromise.”

Local pricing will be announced closer of its launch, which will be sometime in the third quarter of this year, said Samsung.

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