Floating touch and energy-saving display tipped for Samsung Galaxy S4

Hover your hand over the screen like magic

Fresh rumors about Samsung's Galaxy S4 hint at battery-saving screen technology and floating touch input for the upcoming flagship Android phone.

According to SamMobile, an inside source says that the Galaxy S4 will use a new kind of AMOLED display called "green PHOLED," which relies on phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes, hence the acronym.

PHOLED uses phosphorescence instead of fluorescent light like traditional OLED displays, making it significantly more energy efficient. According to SamMobile, PHOLED displays are 25 percent better at consuming power, meaning less battery drain.

The technology has so far been implemented in displays that use PHOLED for one or two of the red, green or blue light spectrums. PHOLED would cover the green-yellow spectrum, lowering the display's power needs.

While we like the thought of a more energy efficient phone, there are also hints that users will touch the screen a whole lot less.

The same inside source indicated that Samsung will use floating touch technology in the S4, letting users hover their finger over the screen to perform actions like previewing emails and thumbnails without tapping to open them.

Samsung included similar technology in the Galaxy Note 2, which used the S Pen to hover over the screen for the Air View feature.

A little factoid: You may remember Sony's Xperia Sola featured floating touch.

Floating touch would join eye control through the Smart screen suite as a rumored new interface for the Galaxy S4.

SamMobile's source may be throwing us for a loop, so don't take the above rumors are hard and fast fact.

Samsung will reveal all during next week's Unpacked event, and TechRadar will be there to bring you all the details on Samsung's new flagship smartphone.

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Samsung executive says Windows 8 is 'no better than Windows Vista'

It turns out Windows 8 is no better than Microsoft's much-maligned Windows Vista, at least in the eyes of Jun Dong-soo, Samsung memory chip division president.

''The global PC industry is steadily shrinking despite the launch of Windows 8," said the senior Samsung executive today at the COEX InterContinental Hotel in Seoul.

"I think the Windows 8 system is no better than the previous Windows Vista platform."

Jun laid the blame for stagnant PC sales at Microsoft's doorstep and said that the PC industry would gradually phase out, in a grim forecast picked up by The Korea Times today.

Samsung is heavily cutting production of PC memory chips, according to Jun, who sees the market as volatile and cyclical.

Those feelings are backed up by data from research firm IDC, which recently reestimated PC shipments for 2013 from 2.8 percent growth down to 1.3 percent growth.

With just 345.8 million PC shipments projected by this IDC data, the firm echoed Jun's comments, citing "underwhelming reception to Windows 8" as well as tablets undercutting PC sales.

Not even the vast marketing effort by Microsoft has been enough for its new operating system.

The company committed up to $1.8 billion (about £1.2 billion, AU$1.76 billion) to promote Windows 8, but has seen "little life" since the Oct. 26 launch.

Microsoft, meanwhile, has said that its Windows 8 sales are on "on par" with those of Windows 7 during its first three months of availability.

Taking all of this into account, Samsung will focus on mobile memory for tablets and smartphones.

''The market will see a supply-and demand balance in the second quarter and Samsung expects more demand in the latter half for mobile DRAMs, which are more profitable than conventional chips,'' Jun told The Korea Times.

However, the even-handed executive said that Samsung is waiting to check consumer demand even for smartphones and tablets before it finalizes its investment plans in more facilities.

''Sony, Taiwan's HTC, Nokia and LG Electronics are very aggressive in their smartphone businesses, increasing the demand for mobile DRAM chips," he said, calling out some of Samsung's biggest rivals.

"But we should check out whether the demand is real or false. That's why Samsung is hesitating to finalize this year's investment.''

One smartphone that may spur that "real" consumer demand for the industry is the Galaxy S4, a phone from none other than Samsung.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is expected to be the company's next big announcement scheduled for next week, Thursday, March 14.

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