UPDATE: Samsung has offically launched the Galaxy S4 Zoom at the Samsung Premiere 2013 event in London.
The Galaxy S4 Zoom phone sports a 10x optical zoom camera and is slated for a July release date in the UK.
In many ways more camera than phone, the Zoom looks to build on the success of the Samsung Galaxy S4, marrying the company's smartphone skills with a (relatively) high-spec camera – in a chunky design.
The Galaxy S4 Zoom combines a 10x optical zoom, a 16-megapixel CMOS Sensor, plus Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) and Xenon Flash, and promises "camera quality photos" from a smartphone. We shall see.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is expected to be unveiled at the Samsung Premiere 2013 event next week, alongside the likes of the Galaxy S4 Mini and new ATIV Windows Phone devices.
Elsewhere on the Zoom is a Samsung's new Zoom Ring, which will allow users to share photos whilst talking on the phone. By twisting the Zoom Ring it will activate the In-Call Photo Share feature, allowing you to capture and send an image via MMS to the person you're talking to. Good luck with that...
Unsurprisingly, Samsung goes big on features. The Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) aims to reduce blur and stabilise the image; Drama Shot allows users to merge continuous shots of moving objects into a single composed image; Action Freeze captures high-speed action; and Photo Suggest connects you to libraries of images taken by fellow photographers and even suggests nearby locations for pictures.
Running on Android Jelly Bean 4.2 OS, the Galaxy S4 zoom contains many of the same features as the Galaxy S4, including Samsung's Touchwiz interface and the Samsung Hub for music, videos, books and games.
