Should we call the Galaxy S4, S3s? Is Samsung following Apple's strategy?

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last two months, Samsung has announced its flagship Android phone for the current season, the Samsung Galaxy S4. For the vast majority of users, the phone is great and I can't disagree with them. But if you look at it from another perspective, compared to its ancestor, it isn't the upgrade I expected to be.

If we do a flashback, and go back to the commence of the series, the S1 was really an auspicious sign for a fresh new start for Samsung, despite Apple's claims that it was a copy of the iPhone 3Gs. From pretty much obscurity, the company went to once again international fame. One year after, the company launches the S1’s successor, the S2. The phone offered a huge enhancement on both software and hardware. Moving on to the third generation, the biggest upgrade of all, the South Korean company mesmerized us all. The Samsung Galaxy S3 brought a whole new experience while interacting with your smartphone. The design was absolutely brilliant, incredibly thin, Touch Wiz was reinvented, and it contained tremendous tech specifications. I was looking in awe when I touched the phone for first time. In my humble opinion, the S3 was an impeccable phone.

On March 14th 2013, the company decided to announce its new masterpiece. Rumors have been floating the web for the last four months about the phone. It was definitely something that was highly-anticipated. Just a second before I decide to cut me veins due to the 'Broadway' style of the event, on my screen I see the supposed-to-be new king of Android.

The appearance of the phone compared to the S3 is pretty similar. The fourth generation of the S series has just more squared edges and it's obviously larger duly to the increscent of the screen size. The specs though are pretty interesting. Both cameras upgraded, the RAM has been doubled, full HD 5-inch screen, octa core version which only God knows in which countries it will be available and so on. Furthermore, the company also added its own taste on the software bringing exclusive 'Galaxy S TouchWiz' features such as the dual-shot camera one.

Isn't this reminding you of another similar tactic that a particular company has been following since its first smartphone? It starts with A and ends in pple. Apple is the name. Apple's strategy on the iPhone product line is to release a ground-breaking handset every two years, up to now at least. Of course this is an impediment to its efforts in order to keep up with Samsung's sales.

To elaborate this, here is the history of the iPhone.

• iPhone 2G
• iPhone 3G - iPhone 3Gs
• iPhone 4 - iPhone 4S
• iPhone 5- iPhone 5S ?
• Galaxy S3 - Galaxy S4 (S3s)

Irrefutably, the S4 has the same differences with the S3 as the iPhone 4S has with the iPhone 4, and potentially the iPhone 5S with the iPhone 5. I can't deny the fact that the latest gen has some distinguishing features compared to the previous one but it definitely doesn't make 'the difference'.

Unfortunately, I can't really entertain the notion of watching Samsung following its nemesis tactic. I 'love' both companies equally, but I am hundred present opposed to this strategy. It's a rip-off for consumers' pockets. 

If we look at the phone, without looking at its past, it’s a stunning device and one of the best for today's standards in the mobile industry. But if you belong to this proportion of people who were looking forward to upgrade to the S4 from the S3 or switch from iOS to Android, I don't think it's the best choice to make. You should bear in mind the words I wrote above. It's highly possible that we'll see consumers joining HTC's 'army' as the One belongs to those spin-offs that the industry has been working on and dreaming since the first ever made phone.

But in the end of the day the question is, should I lock myself with another two year contract with the S4 or with the One? If you are a software enthusiast, like me, the TouchWiz is by far the best Android user interface currently on the market. If you favor hardware more, the HTC One outpaces Samsung's flagship phone. It all depends on you.