Samsung Galaxy S4 Pre-orders for AT&T Start April 16, Priced at $249

We now have pricing for the Samsung Galaxy S4 on at least one carrier. AT&T announced on its blog earlier this morning that it will begin taking pre-orders for Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy smartphone on April 16 at a price of $249.

Here’s AT&T’s statement:

Continuing our legacy as the first carrier to launch Samsung’s Galaxy series, we are excited to announce AT&T customers will be able to begin pre-ordering the Galaxy S4 beginning April 16 for $249.99 with a two-year commitment. We are proud to offer this iconic device and continue to offer our customers the best smartphone line-up, with a variety of devices for every lifestyle and budget. For more information and to pre-order, please visit http://www.att.com/galaxys4.

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S4 to a packed house in Radio City Music Hall on March 14. The show, which received a good bit of criticism, was nonetheless notable due to the fact that Samsung was able to hype up and stage an event much like Apple does with its keynotes.

At the least, it demonstrated that the Galaxy line of smartphones is starting to be viewed with the same high esteem as Apple’s immensely popular iPhone.

The Galaxy S4, which we covered extensively in our live blog of the event, is quite the powerhouse when compared to current smartphones on the market. And Samsung hasn’t been shy about adding its own twist to Google’s Android OS, offering exclusive features like S Translate, Home Sync, S Health and Air Gestures. But will consumers pay $50 more for the Galaxy S4 than they would for an iPhone 5, or Apple’s next-generation iPhone?

Apple currently has the iPhone 5 priced at $199 with a two-year contract. Since Apple launched the iPhone 3G at $199 back in 2008, no entry-level iPhone has been priced higher. Apple’s next-generation iPhone, which could arrive sometime during the summer or fall, would presumably stick to that price point. This makes the $249 asking price for the Galaxy S4 very interesting. The S4 is more technologically advanced than the iPhone 5 at this point, but in terms of brand recognition and “cool factor,” can the S4 get away with charging more?

As far as other carriers go, T-Mobile will begin offering the Galaxy S4 on May 1. Verizon and Sprint will also carry the Galaxy S4 as part of their lineups, but release dates and prices are currently unavailable.

Will you pick up the Galaxy S4 from AT&T or will you wait for it on another carrier? Let us know what you think.

Update: AT&T has clarified that Samsung Galaxy S4 pricing will be: 16GB model for $199.99 and 32GB for $249.99 (both require two-year contracts for subsidized pricing)