We're all sitting here twiddling our thumbs and frothing at the mouth awaiting the imminent reveal of the Samsung Galaxy S4 at Global Unpacked 2013 on Thursday, March 14.
We've scrolled through the Samsung Galaxy S4 rumors, the speculation, the teaser videos that show us adorable little tykes running after the phones themselves and now "leaked" specs and images that give us a better idea what we're talking about here.
But one question remains that we must ask ourselves: Is the 5-inch screen for the Galaxy S4 whose "leaked" images that have shown up as (potentially) being the real deal in a video from 52Samsung too big? And by too big, we mean, does the 5-inch screen make the so-called phone more of a "phablet"?
Or, as The Verge writes, is the Samsung Galaxy S4 at least just "yet another enormous Samsung phone"?
Though The Verge does note that the "leaked" video shows a Samsung Galaxy S4 that somewhat conflicts with that shown in the dark regions of Samsung's own teaser image released on the same day, the fact is that a 5-inch screen for a smartphone is ... unconventional, if nothing else.
After all, it's a little tough to get around with such a big phone that is supposed to be mobile, lest we forget, "especially in the summer when you're running around in shorts," ZDNet notes.
ZDNet reminds us too that it was three years ago that 5-inch screens for phablets — like the Dell Streak — themselves were made to be something of a joke for, yes, being too big to be lugged around so easily.
"It's too big to make it your primary smartphone, unless you only make a couple calls a week and mostly use your smartphone for messaging, apps, and mobile Web browsing," Tech Republic said of the Dell Streak when it first came out. "And, you're comfortable with a 5-inch tablet in your pocket or bag. The Streak could be a decent tablet for field workers who use Web-based applications to do their jobs, or if there are Android apps to handle those tasks."
Dell's reasoning for a 5-inch tablet was that it fit better in a lab coat and thus was custom-made for the healthcare industry. But, we're not all doctors and nurses (nor "field workers"), and so it's frightening to imagine what this 5-inch screen rage might lead to next.
"For now though, Samsung's Galaxy S4 — and all the sales that will go with the launch — will mean large screens will be everywhere. From the Galaxy S4, Samsung will sell you the Note — another larger screen — and probably a TV too — an even larger display," ZDNet says. "See the theme here? Apple pitches ecosystem, apps and brand. Samsung is aiming to connect the screens of your life."
When we finally get a chance to see the Galaxy S4 for real on Thursday, should we find that the screen is in fact a 5-incher, this reporter has to ask one final question: Maybe next we'll just get a phone with a 13-inch screen, call it a "laptop" and move on with our lives?
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