Does not reach the target marketing "outdoor mobile phone"

Have changed after a few disappointments against the new and much more expensive S5 Active. These are the reasons:
For waterproofing you always have the USB cover carefully close command which will probably soon go off and there is no guarantee it. To avoid the constant plugging, you might invite the S4 Active wirelessly. A subsequent "clean crafting" a Qi Wireless Charging Receiver under the rear cover allows this function. But unfortunately let all this receiver (even the thinnest 0.5mm things) the cover bulge so that the cover is no longer waterproof. Thus the function is meaningless regarding water tightness. OK, drahlos load without water tightness would still be beautiful. But unfortunately use all receiver cards a Texas Instruments chip regulates the 5V charging voltage by LDO. The chip is in the course of a charging cycle 10% -> 100% battery charge usually very hot, partly accomplished the battery to temperatures above 60 ° C. That's a no-go. One might indeed no lithium Brannt. For the normal Galaxy S4, there is a Samsung Qi Wireless Charging Cover that is not hot, according to the reviews. For the S4 Active unfortunately there is none.
In general, it is for the S4 Active Accessories hardly because it is indeed derived from the former top model, but it is spread only very slight. Hardly bags, cases, no Smart Cover, car and bicycle mounts etc.pp.

Even Samsung treats the part extremely neglected. Buyers of older S3 grade have already received Android 4.4 KitKat, since the much newer S4 Active has 4.2.2 cope even with the old Android. That in itself would be no problem if non-essential outdoor features hung so together:
Android only supported from Version 4.3 that used by many Fittnesgeräten Bluetooth Smart or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). In version 4.2.2 of Samsung gibts a Samsung-specific API for the BLE does not use app. Equally bad is it with ANT +, the older wireless protocol for heart rate straps, step sensors etc.. Only from Android 4.3, Samsung has incorporated support of ANT + in its top smartphones. So you can with the outdoor mobile S4 Active as it is currently delivered (except the ones with the old power-hungry Bluetooth 3.0) connect any fitness equipment.

The screen is a nice full HD TFT that can be read outdoors. The lighting is for Full HD but probably quite power hungry. In the dark, the black levels are quite gray.

The IR transmitter is working well - but the range is not comparable to normal IR remote controls. A television over long distance with the TV-B-Gone app off fails more. One needs to be closer.

NFC works quite well even with retrofitted Qi receiver still reasonably. Unfortunately, no NXP but a Broadcom IC is installed so that the proprietary but widely used Mifare Classic will not work with the phone.

So in all, you have a smartphone that has a minimal stable rear panel - but of course still additional protection by Displayfolie and silicone sleeve needs), either temporarily waterproof is (if you load via USB to the closure defect) or from the very beginning not waterproof (if you Qi Wireless Charging retrofit). No fitness sensors can be connected. It is not certain whether and when there is Android 4.4 for mobile phones. It is not the top model and low spreads so many additional things like missing covers, brackets, Apps, root instructions etc.pp.

For S5:
Also waterproof, there is an official Samsung Qi Wireless Charging Cover with which everything is still waterproof and is not so hot, and ANT + BLE work at first, there is already an incredible amount of accessories such as well-functioning Smart Cover. The battery is larger (2500-> 2800 mAh), NFC is back from NXP and thus is also the Mifare Classic, the OLED screen is out there just so easy to read (light!) And saves in low light or dark UI even battery power. There is a functioning root, the part is faster and above all: the fingerprint sensor to unlock via the home button works so well for me that I now my smartphone really fingerprint and alternative secure password lock instead of just the unsafe swipe gesture to have. So my data is now much safer. Sure, there are already hacks but before that I had not even a pin or a pattern ...

All in all I find the S5 that much better outdoor mobile phone.