Skip to main content

Samsung teases Galaxy S4, likens it to the introduction of color television (Updated)

Galaxy S4 Teaser Video
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Samsung announced on Friday it would be revealing the Galaxy S4 in mid-March in New York, and has now sent the first of several teaser videos live. However, it has shunned the obsession with drafting in a celebrity or two to advertise its next big thing, instead deciding to enlist the services of a child to build the already considerable anticipation surrounding the new phone.

Recommended Videos

The video shows suited tween Jeremy Maxwell, Samsung’s, “Secret messenger,” pulling up in a Rolls Royce Phantom, ready to attend a meeting where he’ll get a glimpse of the Galaxy S4. After signing some papers, the lid on Samsung’s Unpacked box is slowly lifted, and Jeremy is bathed in a golden light, presumably emanating from the phone. Jeremy’s primary verbal contribution to the proceedings is a piercing shriek of, “Wow, is that it?” when the S4’s box comes in. His driver on the other hand, isn’t one for understatements, likening the Galaxy S4’s contribution to the mobile industry to the advent of color television.

Hyperbole aside, the teaser is a truly bizarre choice for pushing the Galaxy S4, and if you weren’t aware the video was about a smartphone, you’d imagine it was for a new toy or some domestic product such as a fabric softener. The less said about the light coming from the box as the lid is lifted the better – an idea which must have taken, oh, literally moments to conceive. If one digs a little deeper and reads some meaning into the ad, then it looks like Samsung – personified by the adult executive – views its customers as children who’re easily distracted by shiny things in a box. Nice.

It concludes with a look at what’s coming next, as Jeremy gets to take the Galaxy S4’s box home, but is confronted by his next-door neighbor, who is intrigued by the box’s contents. Will she persuade Jeremy to give her a look? Will Jeremy himself resist the temptation to have another peek? Will the dog eat the phone before the big day? Does anybody really care?

Samsung will announce the Galaxy S4 in Times Square on March 14, so sadly, there’s plenty of time for it to release more videos like this one.

Update on 03-11-2013 at 10:00am by Andy: Jeremy’s back, and he’s even more irritating than before. You can view the second part of Samsung’s Galaxy S4 teaser video campaign below, which amazingly has absolutely no redeeming features whatsoever. This time, Jeremy has the Unpacked 2013 box (containing the S4) all to himself (and his dog) at home. He tells us the contents of the box is “irresistible,” “beautiful,” and “unreal,” plus that it’ll be available in his favorite color. Honestly, we never thought we’d miss buzzwords being flashed across the screen accompanied by a generic soundtrack so much. Depressingly, there’s more to come from Jeremy, and we’re beginning to fear he’s going to be at the launch event on March 14 too.

Article originally published 3-4-2013.

Topics
Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Samsung Galaxy S25 owners treated to unexpected new features in latest update
A person holding the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

The April 2025 security update for the Samsung Galaxy S25 series has many more goodies than initially expected. SamMobile notes that the monthly update isn’t just about fixing vulnerabilities and security holes. It’s also about bringing back a feature and improving others.

In total, the new update for the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra provides a security patch and includes improvements to camera performance, charging, and general software stability.

Read more
This Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra deal from Mint Mobile saves you $380
The screen on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

If you've been waiting for phone deals on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, here's your chance at a $200 discount. You can get its 256GB model for only $1,100 instead of $1,300, but there's a catch -- you have to sign up to a Mint Mobile subscription. That's not a negative though, as you can get the service's Unlimited plan for only $180 for 12 months instead of $360. All in all, it's the 256GB Samsung Galaxy Ultra with a 12-month Unlimited plan from Mint Mobile for $1,280 instead of $1,660, for total savings of $380. This is a limited-time offer though, so you have to act fast if you want to take advantage of it.

Why you should buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Read more
Samsung’s One UI 7 update makes the Galaxy S24 Ultra feel like new
A person holding the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

I’d been refreshing the Software Update menu on my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra for a few days, expectantly waiting for One UI 7 to arrive. Then, on the morning of April 10, it was suddenly available and I eagerly installed it. Samsung’s One UI 7 software over Android 15 on the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a big success, but what would it be like on 2024’s flagship Galaxy phone?
Not a massive update?

To my surprise, the One UI 7 update on the Galaxy S24 Ultra is modestly sized, and took less than three minutes to download and install on my phone. It did so without any issue too, and aside from a few setup screens to navigate through — one for accessing Google Gemini, and another showing the new Galaxy AI features — my phone was operational again in moments.

Read more