The Samsung Galaxy S4 won't be out for another month in the United States, but it looks like enterprising developers have already figured out how to root the device, though only Galaxy S4 models running an Exynos 5 Octa processor will be able to use the method.
"Xda-developer forums senior member as i9000 has posted instructions that will help Galaxy S4 buyers root their devices once they're shipped. However, there's a small problem with this root version, as it will apparently only work on the GT-I9500, which happens to be the Exynos 5 Octa Galaxy S4 model," Android Authority writes.
Most Western countries, including the United States, the UK, Scandinavia and much of Europe, will be getting the I9505 Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 version of the Galaxy S4. South Korea and much of Asia, Africa and parts of Europe will get the I9500, at least initially.
Benchmarks indicate the Exynos 5 Octa will be one of the fastest chipsets on the market, but mass production doesn't start until the second quarter of this year. Samsung wants to avoid shipping delays due to parts shortages, like the ones that affected the release of the Galaxy S3 last year, so 70 percent of the first 10 million S4s will ship with Snapdragon processors, which Samsung has plenty of in stock.
It's likely a root for the I9505 will be developed before the device hits the market, so be patient.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 features a 1.6GHz eight-core Exynos 5 Octa processor or a 1.9GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor (depending on country), 2GB of RAM, a 5-inch 1920x1080 Full HD AMOLED display at 441 ppi, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p HD video, a 2-megapixel front facing camera, internal storage between 16 and 64GB, an SD card slot that can accommodate an additional 64GB, a polycarbonate body, Smart Pause and floating touch tech and runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.
Check back for the latest info on the Galaxy S4 as it becomes available.
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