14 DAY TRIAL // Last month, South Korean mobile phone maker Samsung Electronics unveiled to the world its latest Android-based flagship smartphone, in the form of Galaxy S5, set to bring along a series of new, updated apps, some of which are already available for download online.
The handset will not be up for purchase until April 11, when Samsung plans on releasing it in a variety of markets all around the world, yet users can already get a taste of some of the goodies that it has to offer.
The APK files for various apps included in Galaxy S5 have leaked online and are currently available for download through a thread in the XDA-Developers Forum.
Among the available software we can count Calculator, Gear Manager, Gear Fit Manager, S Note, S Health, S Translator, and WatchON.
As SamMobile notes, Samsung has updated these applications with a cleaner, flatter look for the new Galaxy S5, which is exactly what those who download and install them will enjoy.
Moreover, the news site notes that these applications should be compatible with all Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 devices out there, though chances are that some users will need to update their phones to the Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system before installing them.
At the moment, it appears that the S Health application is not working, though the rest of them should pose no issues when loaded on last year’s or even older smartphones. The Gear Fit Manager app, however, won’t do you much good, since it requires a Gear Fit to work.
However, users interested in giving them a try might have to uninstall or block the existing iterations of these apps, so as to ensure that the installation process goes through smoothly.
For that, of course, root access is required. Those who would not tweak their smartphones just to get a taste of these apps might be able to enjoy them in the next software update from Samsung, provided that the company is indeed determined to offer them to more devices.
Undoubtedly, there will be many enthusiasts interested in taking these applications for a spin, though we also suspect that others will actually wait for the arrival of Galaxy S5 to get a taste of them.
They won’t have to wait too long, given that Samsung plans on releasing the phone less than a month from now in a great deal of markets all around the world.