The much awaited Galaxy S III has finally been unveiled on May 3 and as expected it is most likely the best in terms of specs out of any Android phone, however the design has come to some critique. Quad core goodness with a large 4.8″ 720p screen while surprisingly still having a micro SD card slot and removable battery, the device has makings to be a great device if you have can accept the design and the typical plastic feel of Samsung devices. It is available at the end of the May in Europe and North America gets it in June. Pricing is starting at £500 for the 16GB version while US pricing has yet to be confirmed (16GB currently at US$799 at Mobicity).Added software and hardware tweaks to improve user experience and functionality:
- S Beam: sharing files by tapping phones together (utilizing NFC) and transfer files directly over wireless
- AllShare Cast sharing your screen over a network
- Pop up play: playing video in an overlay so you can multitask
- S Voice: voice control similar to Siri on the iPhone 4S
- Best Photo: takes a series of photos so that you can choose the best one, in case you missed it
- Direct call: while messaging and if you decide to call, just bring the phone to your head and it will automatically start calling the person
While all in all it seems a great device, there are few things to point out that could be an issue
- Size: I can’t iterate this enough, I feel the size of Android phones are getting a bit out of control and manufacturers believe “bigger is better” which may not be the case. Check out the screen size section of “A Critical Look at the Interface and Ergonomic Issues of Android“
- PenTile screen: there have been issues and commotion about PenTile screens for quite a while as they do not provide the sharpest of images due to its nature (Droid Razr Review – Display, A Closer Look at the Droid Razr’s screen, HTC One S Review). I have yet personally to use one, thus I can’t say how bad it could be, but at a high resolution, it may not be much of an issue
- Design: the design has been critiqued (Galaxy S III: It’s not for you, 5 Things I’d Change About the Samsung Galaxy S III, countless forum responses) but there is an interesting take to the possible reason behind it (“The Samsung Galaxy S III: The First Smartphone Designed Entirely By Lawyers“). It is also made of plastic (sane as the older S II) which could make it feel cheap.
Notable Specifications (more specs in press release)
- 4.8″ Super AMOLED 720p screen (1280 x 720)
- Quad Core CPU
- 8MP rear camera (1080p video) with zero shutter lag
- 1.9MP front camera (720p video) with zero shutter lag
- NFC
- Bluetooth 4.0
- microSD card slot
- Removable 2100mAh Battery
- Micro SIM slot
- Available at the end of May
Positives
- Best overall specs out there
- Micro SD cards slot: something missing from other high end devices
- Hardware & Software integration improvements from Samsung
Negatives / Possible Negatives
- 4.8″ screen could be considered too big for one-handed use
- PenTile screen: may not be ideal if you can notice
- Still made of plastic
- Design is a hit/miss affair