AT&T to take orders for Galaxy S4 on April 16

AT&T says it will start taking pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S 4, the season's most eagerly awaited smartphone, on April 16 for $250.

The amount is $50 above the usual introductory price for high-end smartphones.

AT&T didn't say when the phone will go on sale in stores, or when the pre-orders will be delivered, but pre-orders usually start a week or two before deliveries.

The S 4 is the successor to the Galaxy S III, which has been the biggest competitor to Apple's iPhone. AT&T is the first U.S. carrier to announce a price and pre-order date, but others have said they'll sell the phone. British carriers started taking pre-orders on Thursday.

The Galaxy S 4 comes with a slightly bigger screen, a larger battery and a faster processor.