Samsung has unveiled another iteration of the its flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4.  First there was the S4 mini, which sported less powerful chips and lower display resolution, then came the S4 zoom, a fusion of camera and phone, as it features a physical lens that zooms in and out so you can take better photos.

The S4 zoom aims to address the dilemma of bringing two devices, a smartphone and a camera, when going out.  Now, people will have the benefits two devices in one gadget right in their pockets – if the device can fit in.  The updated camera-ready phone is looking to compete in a market currently dominated by Nokia, which has the best of all major smartphone cameras on the market.

We’re still waiting for the ruggedized version of the S4, which is rumored to be water-, shock-, and dust-proof.

• Galaxy S5 taking cues from the iPhone?

Though Samsung is far from done in delivering version after version of the S4, rumors regarding the Galaxy S5 are surfacing.  Some sources claim that Samsung will finally ditch the polycarbonate casing that it used on its Galaxy devices for an aluminum unibody.  That’s a complete switch from its strategy versus Apple, which is rumored to be considering a polycarbonate case to replace its aluminum iPhone body on less expensive versions.

The S5, dubbed Design 3.0 by some due to the drastic changes we could see, will hopefully make way for a more sophisticated looking Galaxy smartphone sometime next year.  Unfortunately, if Samsung goes for the aluminum unibody design, removable batteries will be taken of the menu as well and this may not be something Samsung users would be happy about.

HTC One mini

Bigger doesn’t always mean better, especially when people are complaining how some smartphones are just too big these days.  This is why Samsung released the Galaxy SIII mini in the past and the S4 mini recently. And oversized smarphones is the same reason why HTC is said to be copying Samsung’s strategy, and will soon be releasing an HTC One mini.

The HTC One mini, rumored to be released sometime in Q3, will be slimmer and smaller than the original, and will not have a full metal casing.  It will still have a metallic unibody at the back emblazoned with the One and Beats Audio branding, but at the front, you’ll see that there is as plastic or rubber ring surrounding the edges.  Some of the specs we’re not likely to see include infrared capabilities, and no news yet on whether it will have the UltraPixel camera, or what processor it will be equipped with.  We’ll keep you posted as more information about the device comes out.

iPhone 5S and iPhone 6

A smartphone rumor roundup wouldn’t be complete without mention of the iPhone aren’t mentioned.  According to sources, the next iPhone to be released later this year will be a revamped version of the iPhone 5, and will probably be called the iPhone 5S. Possible features have been predicted when the iOS 7 was unveiled.

According to sources, the next iPhone will still not feature NFC technology,  because of AirDrop as it allows sharing without having to be physically together to do so.  Then the camera sensors may be upgraded because of the new camera features shown on iOS 7.  A new sensor may be introduced, an inclinometer, that would measure elevation, declines or slopes.  This may be used in navigation or gaming.  Then the fingerprint scanning feature has once again been revived, and wireless charging.

For the physical changes, some sources claim that Apple is ditching the Black & Slate color scheme.  One claims that in Apple’s page that showcased the iOS 7, no black iPhone 5 was used.  Then there were leaks about the parts being used for the next iPhone  wherein a photo showed SIM card trays in silver and gold.  Silver SIM card trays are currently being used in white iPhone 5s.  So could a gold SIM card tray be used in a gold colored iPhone 5S or could there be more color options for the next iPhone?

As for the iPhone 6, Apple is said to be looking at releasing two different sized iPhones as well as cheaper iPhones next year  One will be sporting a bigger 5.7-inch screen and another that features a 4.7-inch screen, then an iPhone that will be using non-metallic body to make the device less expensive and will come in a variety of colors.

It may seem like Apple is also copying Samsung’s strategy of releasing various sized devices but is this surprising?  With the unveiling of iOS 7, it’s clear that Apple has strayed from its monotonous roots when it copied some of Android’s features.  Copying Samsung’s strategy to be able to appeal to more consumers is something expected.