Galaxy Note 4: The latest news for the Galaxy Note 4 is that it will come with a Ultra Violet (UV) sensor that will be able to detect how much radiation the user will encounter. Samsung is expanding on their big ‘health’ push and continue to try to be more than a smartphone. With Apple’s iOS focusing more on health, Samsung is trying to remain on top. The UV sensor will go along with the expected heart rate monitor and S Health on the Note 4.
Ever since the Galaxy S4, Samsung has been trying to invade our lives with more than just being a device for contact with others, it wants us to be in contact with ourselves. With the S4, it introduced the S Heath app which helped users track their diet, calculate BMI, and it came with a pedometer. The S5 improved Ilion that with the built in heart rate monitor (even though you can download an app from the app store). They improve upon that with a UV sensor that will measure the radiation in 5 increments. Low to extreme. One wonders if there will be a level the user can set to be warned when the radiation gets to a certain point.
While some might welcome this gimmicky feature on the Galaxy Note 4, others will object to it. Whether or not the device will sell. Plus we’re looking forward to the S6 with a blood pressure monitor (kidding).
iPhone 6: The iPhone 6 is expected to ship with a sapphire crystal display, and some people have gotten their hands on it for scratch tests. The one thing we have found out, is that while there might be some composite of sapphire crystal in the glass, it is not entirely sapphire. If it were to be entirely sapphire, it would actually be more rigid and prone to breaking. Along with that, it would also increase the cost of the device dramatically.
On the iPhone 5S, the home button is actually made entirely of sapphire crystal. It is small enough to not change the cost of the device and resists breaking. Apple choose the sapphire crystal for the home button over regular glass because of the importance of keeping a clear picture for the fingerprint scanner. The last thing someone wants is to be locked out of their device because their home button is scratched.
The sapphire display is a welcome innovation to challenge Gorilla Glass for the top displays on the market. The question is, will Apple make this catch on? We will find out when the iPhone 6 releases this September.
