Samsung will unleash a host of new software advancements when it unveils the Galaxy S4 smartphone next week, including camera sensor technology that will detect when a user finishes reading a page, according to reports.
An unidentified Samsung employee claiming to have used the device, which won’t be unleashed until March 14, told the New York Times that the unique “eye scrolling” feature will automatically move further down a web page when the bottom is reached.
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The inclusion of such eye-tracking software would be a natural progression for Samsung after introducing the particularly neat Smart Stay feature with the Galaxy S3 in May last year.
Smart Stay, when activated by the user, detects when they are reading a page and prevents the screen brightness from dimming or timing out completely.
Indeed the presence of eye scrolling technology within the Galaxy S4 was prefaced by a Samsung patent application called “Eye Scroll” publicised in January.
It outlined “computer application software having a feature of sensing eye movements and scrolling displays of mobile devices, namely mobile phones, smartphones and tablet computers according to eye movements.”
The NYT’s influential Bits blog also pointed out that a feature called “Eye Pause” was also part of the patent application.
Beyond these rumoured enhancements for the Galaxy S4’s front-facing camera, the Samsung employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, claimed the device’s software would be the focus of the launch rather than any hardware improvements.
The report said: “The source would not explain what technology was being used to track eye movements, nor did he say whether the feature would be demonstrated at the Galaxy S IV press conference, which will be held in New York on March 14. The Samsung employee said that over all, the software features of the new phone outweighed the importance of the hardware.”
Earlier on Monday the company released a teaser video for the launch, while other rumours suggested that the company’s octo-core Exynos processor would also make its debut on the Galaxy S4 when it finally breaks cover at the Unpacked event in New York City on Thursday week.
Via NYT
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