Samsung Gear S Smart watch Now Available via Retail Stores in India

While Samsung is still taking online pre-orders for its 'forthcoming' Tizen-based Gear S smartwatch via its online store in India, NDTV Gadgets has learnt that the smartwatch is already available in stores.

Update: Notably, the Gear S smartwatch has now been listed with price on the Samsung India online store, at Rs. 27,900 - but is not yet available to buy.

Earlier this week, Samsung started taking pre-orders for Gear S with a booking amount of Rs. 1,000, but it did not include availability details. Samsung's online India store still lists the Gear S as a 'forthcoming' product which has an expected delivery time of 5 to 7 working days once it becomes available.

The South Korean giant had first unveiled Gear S smartwatch ahead of IFA 2014. The firm last month announced the Gear S in India will sport a Rs. 29,500 (MRP) price tag, and an estimated market operating price of Rs. 28,900. 

The Samsung Gear S allows users to make and receive calls via 2G or 3G, and also offers Bluetooth 4.1 and Wi-Fi connectivity. It has a separate slot for a SIM card on the back panel along with the heart rate sensor and four pogo pins.

Samsung says the smartwatch will always remain connected, and can also switch between multiple networks to stay synchronised with the paired smartphone. However, to be precise, the Gear S smartwatch is not truly standalone, as it requires one of 20 Samsung smartphones during initial setup, and to download apps.

The Gear S features a 2-inch curved Super AMOLED display with a 360x480 pixel resolution. A dual-core 1GHz processor with 512MB of RAM powers the Samsung Gear S. It comes with 4GB of inbuilt storage and is backed by a 300mAh Li-ion battery, rated to deliver 2 days of charge with typical usage.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Duos With Snapdragon 805 Launched

Samsung has quietly revealed the dual-SIM variant of the Galaxy Note 4 in China.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Duos is now listed on the company's China site and is currently available in three variants - SM-N9109W for China Telecom; SM-N9106W for China Unicom, and the SIM-free (unlocked) SM-N9108V.

Sammobile reports that the unlocked version of the Galaxy Note 4 Duos is priced at CNY 5,199 (Rs. 52,000 approximately) and is compatible with 4G LTE networks on most carriers. Unfortunately, the pricing details of the Galaxy Note 4 Duos SM-N9109W and SM-N9106W variants are not available.

The report  also suggests that the first SIM card slot of all three variants of the Galaxy Note 4 Duos supports 4G over TDD-LTE and FDD-LTE networks, while the second SIM supports just 2G networks.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Duos listing features few specifications, but Sammobile notes the smartphone comes with slightly different innards from the original Galaxy Note 4. Apart from dual-SIM support, the Galaxy Note 4 Duos comes with 16GB built-in storage compared to 32GB inbuilt storage on the original variant, and is also backed by a 3000mAh battery instead of the 3220mAh battery on the Galaxy Note 4.

The Galaxy Note 4 Duos is powered by a 2.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor. The rest of the specifications of the Galaxy Note 4 Duos are thought to be the same as the original Galaxy Note 4.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 runs Android 4 .4 KitKat, and features a 5.7-inch Quad-HD (1440x2560 pixel) Super Amoled display with a pixel density of 515ppi. The Galaxy Note 4 comes in two versions based on chipsets - 2.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor and a 1.9GHz octa-core (1.9GHz quad-core + 1.3GHz quad-core) Samsung processor. It comes with 3GB of RAM.

The Galaxy Note 4 features a 16-megapixel autofocus rear camera with Smart OIS, and a 3.7-megapixel front-facing camera with an f/1.9 lens. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS/ Glonass, NFC, Bluetooth v4.0, IR LED, USB 2.0, and MHL 3.0. The Galaxy Note 4 features an accelerometer, geo-magnetic sensor, gyroscope, RGB, IR-LED, proximity, barometer, hall sensor, finger scanner, UV, heart rate monitor.

Considering the official listing of the Galaxy Note 4 Duos, the handset also seems to feature Adaptive Fast Charging that according to the company charges from 0 to 50 percent in 30 minutes.

Recently, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 went on sale in India priced at an MRP of Rs. 61,500, and a market operating price between Rs. 58,300 and Rs. 58,500. Interestingly, the Galaxy Note 4 was available to buy in India the same day as Apple's iPhone  6 Plus

Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S5-LTE Prices Slashed in India

Samsung has quietly slashed the price of its flagship smartphone in India, the Galaxy S5, alongside the LTE-variant of the handset.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is now officially available at Rs. 37,500 on the company's online India store, compared to the previous price tag of Rs. 43,250 - a price cut of Rs. 5,750. The Samsung Galaxy S5-LTE is now available at Rs. 40,300, down roughly Rs. 4,990 from its earlier price of Rs. 45,290. Notably, this is the second price cut for both the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S5-LTE in the space of two months, with the first in early September.

Interestingly, both the handsets are listed as 'Not in Stock' with a 'Notify Me' option for consumers to register. As of now, it is not clear whether the price cuts of Rs. 5,750 for the Galaxy S5 and Rs. 4,990 for the Galaxy S5-LTE are part of a limited festive period offer, or are permanent.

The Samsung Galaxy S5  went on sale in India via Samsung's India online store and physical retail stores at Rs. 51,500 in April. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S5-LTE variant went on sale at Rs. 53,448 in July.

If the new prices of the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S5-LTE are compared to the launch prices of both the handsets, we can see a massive price slash of Rs. 14,000 since April launch of the Galaxy S5 and Rs. 13,148 since July launch of the Galaxy S5-LTE.

The Galaxy S5 is also available via several third-party online retailers at further discounts and is available at Rs. 36,580 (Flipkart) and Rs. 37,295 (Amazon.in).

Samsung earlier this month launched the Galaxy Note 4 in India priced at an MRP of Rs. 61,500, and a market operating price between Rs. 58,300 and Rs. 58,500. Notably, Samsung's new phablet went on sale in India the same day as the iPhone 6 Plus - Apple's first phablet.

Apart from launching the Galaxy Note 4 in India, the company also unveiled the Gear S 3G-enabled smartwatch at Rs. 29,500 (MRP), with an estimated market operating price of Rs. 28,900.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 2

Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 to Reportedly Launch Soon at Rs. 21,499

Samsung seems to be gearing up to launch the Galaxy Mega 2 in India, if information from an established retailer from Mumbai is to be believed. So far, no announcement has been made by Samsung.

Announcing the smartphone will be in stock in a few days at Rs. 21,499, and will sport an MRP of Rs. 24,300, retailer Mahesh Telecom posted the details in a Facebook poston Wednesday. The post also mentions the Galaxy Mega 2 model launching in India will be the SM-G750H variant.

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 2, after going on sale via a Malaysian retailer in August, was officially listed by the company in Thailand. Samsung's Thailand site listed the smartphone without any details of pricing and availability.

The successor to the Galaxy Mega 5.8 (Review | Pictures) was available to buy in Malaysia at MYR 1,299 (roughly Rs. 24,700). The Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 (SM-G750F) features a 6-inch TFT HD (720x1280 pixels) display. It is powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core (unspecified chipset) processor coupled with 1.5GB of RAM.

The Galaxy Mega 2 runs the recent Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box, and comes with 16GB of inbuilt storage that is further expandable via microSD card (up to 64GB). It sports an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, while there is a secondary 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera also onboard.

On the connectivity front, the smartphone offers LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Micro-USB, GPS, Glonass, NFC, and Bluetooth options. Notably, the Galaxy Mega 2 is listed as a single SIM device in Malaysia; however, considering Samsung launched the Galaxy Mega 5.8 last year in India with dual-SIM support, we can expect a dual-SIM variant of the smartphone for the Indian market.

The smartphone packs a 2800mAh battery with no word on talk time and standby time. The Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 is listed in Cosmic Black and Blizzard White colours.

Samsung launches multiple offers

Samsung launches multiple offers in a bid to boost Galaxy S4 sales

Surbhi Chawla, June 19, 2013

Samsung Galaxy S4 has been in the news for wrong reasons recently, with reports of sales slowing downs and various analysts revising shipping estimates in the downward direction.

On the back of these reports comes the news that Samsung has launched many schemes to push sales of its flagship smartphone in India.

According to one offer, the company is offering a free magnetic cover along with the purchase of theSamsung Galaxy S4. This cover is dubbed S-View Cover and is worth Rs. 2,499. The USP of this cover is that it customises the screen of Samsung Galaxy S4 as a display window.

This offer is valid for all Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphones purchased between June 10 to June 30, 2013. To avail this offer, users will have to login to the special offer page by Samsung and key in the IMEI number of their Samsung Galaxy S4, their mobile number and email address. The website also shares that to redeem this offers, users should keep a copy of their invoice in JPG or PDF form handy.

If the idea of a cover does not sound appealing, you can opt for a one-time screen replacement worth Rs. 7,000 at an additional cost of Rs.500. In addition to this, Samsung is offering 60+ live TV channels, 250 movies, 25 HD games, 2.5lakhs songs worth Rs.12,000. To activate this offer, the users will have to send a text to 56886 with the message 'MYOFFER'.

Samsung had launched its the Galaxy S4 in India in April for Rs. 41,500. However, the smartphone is currently available at the Samsung India online store for Rs. 40,300. The company is also running an EMI scheme for this smartphone, under which the users can purchase Samsung Galaxy S4 by paying zero down payment and 12 installments of Rs.3,358 each. The company claims that purchasing smartphone via this scheme will help users in saving Rs. 3,250.

Samsung has also tied up with Vodafone to offer special 'all-in-one' tariff plan that allows Galaxy S4 users to save up to Rs. 12,000 and enjoy 3G data. This offer is open for both post-paid and pre-paid subscribers.

The post-paid subscribers of Samsung Galaxy S4 will have to shell out Rs. 1,199 as the monthly rental and will be entitled to unlimited Internet (with 3GB data allowance under fair usage policy). In addition to this the subscriber will also get 3000 local and STD voice minutes and 750 local and national SMS. The subscribers will also get Missed Call Intimation for 12 months in this plan.

Pre-paid subscribers on the other hand have a choice of two recharges. The first recharge option is of Rs. 677 and offers unlimited Internet (1GB allowance), 1,000 local and STD voice minutes and 500 local and national SMS. This recharge is valid for 30 days. The other option is with recharge of Rs 345, which offers unlimited Internet (512MB allowance), 500 local and STD voice minutes and 250 local and national SMS and is valid 15 days.

Galaxy Mega launched in India

Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 and Galaxy Mega 6.3 launched in India

Anupam Saxena, May 28, 2013

Samsung has launched its Galaxy Mega large screen smartphones in the Indian market. The Galaxy Mega 5.8 will be available across the country within a week from today for a price of Rs. 25,100 while the Galaxy Mega 6.3 will be available in mid-June for a MRP of Rs. 31,490. 

Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 is a dual-SIM device that has a 5.8-inch screen with qHD(540x960 pixels) resolution. It is powered by a 1.4GHz dual-core processor alongside 1.5GB RAM and features an 8-megapixel rear camera, as well as a 2-megapixel front facing camera. The phone comes with 8GB expandable storage and has a 2,600mAh battery. It runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out of the box. 

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 sports a 6.3-inch 720x1280 display and features the same camera as that of Galaxy Mega 5.8. It is powered by a dual-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz. The Galaxy Mega has 1.5GB of RAM, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and A-GPS. The phone comes with a 3,200 mAh battery and runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The phone comes with 16GB internal storage capacity and has a microSD card for expanding the storage up to 64GB. 

The GALAXY Mega smartphones will offer split screen capability for a variety of applications including email, messages, 'MyFiles,' 'S Memo,' 'S Planner', amongst others. The devices will also feature the much touted 'Air View' feature, that lets users preview information in emails, photos in Gallery, and speed dial contacts without opening them. 

The phones are being launched with special offers from RCOM and Vodafone. RCOM customers buying the phone will get 2GB data per month free for 3 months and unlimited access to Big Movies library, WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter. Vodafone customers will get 2GB data download(2G+3G) per month for two months.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 key specifications 

• 6.3-inch HD display of 720x1280 resolution
• 1.7GHz dual-core processor
• 1.5GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, can be expanded by up to 64B
• 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash
• 2-megapixel front camera
• 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v 4.0, GPS
• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
• 3200 mAh battery

Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 key specifications 

• 5.8-inch display with resolution of 540x960 pixels
• 1.4GHz dual-core processor
• 1.5GB RAM 8GB internal storage, can be expanded by up to 64B
• 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash
• 2-megapixel front camera 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v 4.0, GPS
• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
• 2600 mAh battery

Galaxy S III Android 4.2.2

Samsung Galaxy S III Android 4.2.2 firmware leaked, reveals some Galaxy S4 software features

Anupam Saxena, May 21, 2013

It looks like the Samsung Galaxy S III will soon receive a number of Galaxy S4 software features if a new leak is to be believed.

Samsung focused website SamMobile reports that the company is working on a new firmware I9300XXUFME3 - Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean for the Galaxy S III which will include a number of new software enhancements including a new Galaxy S4-like lockscreen with support for multiple widgets, an additional 'Light' unlock effect and an improved ripple effect compared to the current version, the ability to change clock size and set a personal message. It will also include the Adapt Display screen mode that optimises display settings depending on ambient light conditions automatically and offers more natural colours.The site informs that Samsung is likely to release the update in June.

The update will also bring the Daydream lock screen mode, a driving mode, actionable notifications, a new notification tray with additional toggles and a Galaxy S4-like tabbed interface for the phone settings menu. The update will also bring a new version of S-Voice, Samsung's voice assistant and add voice controls for operating the phone using voice commands. It will also include full-screen Samsung apps and a new smart switch widget.

It's still not known if the update will also bring the camera features of the Galaxy S4 which include the Cinemagram like Animated photo mode, an Eraser mode to delete moving objects from five consecutive photos, Drama shot that takes multiple photos of a moving object and merges them all to denote action, and Best face that allows selecting the best face shot in group photos. 

The site is also offering the test firmware for download but as with other pre-release software, especially those from unofficial sources, flashing it on your phone is at your own risk. 

In March, screenshots of a Settings screen that displayed toggles for Smart Stay, Smart Rotation, Smart Pause and Smart Scroll were also leaked and it was revealed that these were part of the leaked firmware for the Galaxy S III which will update the phone to Android 4.2.1 and bring some of Galaxy S4 features to the Galaxy S III. However, going by the screenshot accompanying the new report, the settings only include Smart Stay and Smart Rotation.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active pictures leak

Anupam Saxena, May 21, 2013

Purported images of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, the ruggedised version of Samsung's flagship phone Galaxy S4 have appeared online.

Mobile phone focused site GSMArena claims to have received pictures and some information about the phone from a tipster. The site mentions that the phone was recently showcased in Croatia. The Galaxy S4 Active is pegged to be a dust and water resistant version of the Galaxy S4. Hence, the phone is enclosed in what appears to be a red and black metal shell with four bolts at the back. However, the front is all black glass just like the Galaxy S4, though instead of one there are three hardware buttons.

The pictures also show the System Info screen of the popular benchmarking app, AnTuTu Benchmark that reveals a 1.9GHz quad-core processor, Adreno 320 Graphics chip, HD resolution screen(1080x1920 pixels) and a pixel density of 480ppi. The report also suggests that the phone will sport an 8-megapixel camera instead of the Galaxy S4's 13-megapixel shooter, will have a 5-inch screen and be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 chipset.

Earlier this month, another report indicated that the Galaxy S4 Active (the report had mentioned the name as Activ), is expected to release in the week starting July 15 in Metallic Orange colour. While the colour is not exactly Orange, the release of the phone looks imminent. However, there's no official confirmation from the company, yet.
The existence of the phone was first reported in April when Young Soo Kim, who is the President of Samsung Mobility's Gulf division, shared the information.

Galaxy Note III

Samsung Galaxy Note III to ship with 6.0-inch, non-flexible AMOLED display: Report

Anupam Saxena, May 14, 2013

Samsung might use a 6.0-inch display for the Galaxy Note III, its forthcoming phablet which is expected to launch in a few months, a new report indicates. Also, contrary to some rumours the display is not likely to be a flexible AMOLED panel.

According to a report by OLED-Display.net, a new document by Korea Investment & Securities cites company data to inform that Samsung is working on a new flagship phone that features a 6.0-inch display for a phone that is expected to release in the second quarter of 2013, most likely by end of July. A new line at the company's display production unit is involved with the production of the said display. The report is somewhat in inline with earlier rumours and a leaked picture of the phone that hinted at a 5.99-inch full-HD Super AMOLED display with diamond pixel structure, much like in the Samsung Galaxy S4 

The report also adds that while Samsung's Display unit plans to produce flexible AMOLED panels, the line's capacity is not enough to make displays for a flagship device like the Galaxy Note III.

Previously, it was reported that the Samsung Galaxy Note III will be the first device to deploy a plastic OLED display. The report had claimed that this new display will be thinner than the one on Galaxy Note II and come with an RGB stripe. Furthermore, the display is also expected to weigh a lot lesser than the displays of current crop of Galaxy Note phablets.

The Samsung Galaxy Note III is expected to be powered by an Exynos 5 Octa-core processor, Mali 450 GPU with 8 cores and 3 GB of RAM. It's also rumoured to feature a 13-megapixel rear camera.

Samsung Galaxy

Samsung Galaxy Mega, Galaxy S4 mini, Galaxy S4 Activ and Galaxy S4 Zoom rumoured launch dates revealed

Anupam Saxena, May 09, 2013

Samsung is expected to launch a number of smartphones under the umbrella of its Galaxy S4 smartphone, and even before the company officially announces them a new report reveals the release timeline of these phones.

Samsung focused blog SamMobile has got hold of an official list from insiders that has launch date targets of the unannounced phones from Samsung including the rumoured Galaxy S4 mini, Galaxy S4 Activ (the rugged version of the Galaxy S4) and the Galaxy S4 Zoom (the camera focused variant), in addition to the officially announced Galaxy Mega 5.8 and Galaxy Mega 6.3 for Europe.

According to the website, the White coloured variant of the Galaxy Mega 5.8 will release in week 20 of this year i.e. between May 13 and 19, while the Black variant will launch between June 17 to 23. The Galaxy Mega 6.3's Black variant is expected to launch in the week starting May 6, while its White version is expected to launch the week starting May 20.

The report pegs the launch of the Galaxy S4 mini in the week starting July 15 in both White and Black colours. This is in-line with an earlier report that suggested that the Galaxy S4 mini will release in July.

The Galaxy S4 Activ, which is reportedly a ruggedised phone based on the Galaxy S4 platform, is also expected to release in the same week in Metallic Orange colour.

Interestingly, the Galaxy S4 Zoom, a smartphone that has been rumoured to feature a 16-megapixel camera has a target launch date between June 3 and June 9 for the Black variant and June 17 to 23 for the White one. The phone's existence was revealed just a day back.

Galaxy S4's new ad

Samsung Galaxy S4's new ad labels iPhone as old

Surbhi Chawla, May 06, 2013

The Samsung launch party seems incomplete without Apple bashing ads and it came as a bit of a surprise that Samsung had not launched any such combative television commercials for Samsung Galaxy S4. Until now.

The Korean smartphone maker has launched a new television commercial that talks about the new features in the Galaxy S4 and mocks Apple iPhone 5. The ad even goes on to state some smartphones (read Galaxy S4) are smarter than others (iPhone 5).

The ad begins with a graduation party taking place and people seem to be enjoying food and jumping into the pool - kids being kids. In the party, the students are shown using the Samsung Galaxy S4, while their parents and teachers (the older lot) are shown using the iPhone.

The television unfolds to demonstrate the Air Gesture feature as the person eating a juicy piece of ribs is able to answer the call by merely waving at the device. Also the pictures clicked at the graduation party are shared between devices using the S Bean functionality of the Samsung Galaxy S4. It further goes on to how the Samsung Galaxy S4 can control an HDTV and recommend TV shows to you.

Samsung has also released a 30 second video that continues with the graduation theme to showcase the eraser shot feature of Samsung Galaxy S4. In this short television commercial, Samsung does not make fun of Apple's iPhone.

Mocking competitive products in a television commercial is not a new concept in the smartphone space. A few days ago, Microsoft has rolled out a new television commercial for Nokia Lumia 920. In this ad, Microsoft seems to be mocking the rivalry between Apple and Samsung to drive home the "Switch to Lumia" message.

However, the current Samsung Galaxy S4 is not as quirky and quick-paced as the Microsoft one.

Galaxy Tab 3

Samsung unveils Galaxy Tab 3 with Android 4.1, voice calling

April 29, 2013

Samsung has announced the launch of Galaxy Tab 3 7-inch tablet with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The tablet will be available in two variants, Wi-Fi only and a 3G variant with voice calling.

Under the hood, Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor alongside 1GB of RAM. The 7-inch screen has a rather disappointing 1024x600 resolution at a paltry 169ppi. The tablet will be available in 8GB/ 16GB storage options, expandable by another 64GB via microSD card. Connectivity options on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB and A-GPS/ GLONASS.

Galaxy Tab 3 is the successor to the Galaxy Tab 2 that recently received a price cut in India and is now available for Rs. 12,750 and Rs. 16,250 for Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi plus 3G variants respectively.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Wi-Fi version will be available globally beginning May and 3G version will follow in June. The product availability varies by market and will be rolled out gradually. There's no word on pricing yet, though it is expected to be priced similar to the Galaxy Tab 2.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 technical specifications

Network	WiFi - 3G : HSPA+21 / 5.76 Quad 850/900/1900/2100 - 2G : EDGE/GPRS Quad 850/900/1800/1900
Processor	1.2 GHz Dual Core processor
Display	7 inch WSVGA(1024 x 600, 169 PPI) TFT
OS	Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
Camera	Main(Rear): 3-megapixel camera Sub (Front): 1.3-megapixel camera
Video	Codec: MPEG4, H.264, H.263, WMV Playback: 1080p Full HD @30fps
Audio	Codec: MP3, OGG, AC3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, WAV, FLAC
Services and Additional Features	Samsung Apps
	Samsung Hub - Music Hub/ Game Hub/ Video Hub/ Learning Hub
	Samsung Kies, Samsung Kies Air (Downloadable via Samsung Apps)
	Samsung ChatON mobile communication service
	Google Mobile Services: Google Search, Gmail, Google Play Store, Google Plus, YouTube, Google Talk, Google Maps (Turn-by-turn Navigation), Google Now
Connectivity	WiFi a/b/g/n (2.4/5GHz), WiFi Channel Bonding, WiFi Direct Bluetooth 3.0 USB 2.0
GPS	A-GPS + GLONASS
Sensor	WiFi: Accelerometer, Geo-magnetic, Light 3G: Accelerometer, Geo-magnetic, Light, Proximity
Memory	8/16GB Internal Storage + 1GB (RAM) microSD slot (up to 64GB)
Dimension	111.1 x 188.0 x 9.9mm 302g(Wi-Fi), 306g (3G)
Battery	Standard battery, Li-ion 4,000 mAh

Galaxy S4 India launch

Samsung Galaxy S4 India launch on Friday

NDTV Correspondent, April 26, 2013

Samsung has launched its much-anticipated smartphone Galaxy S4 in India priced at Rs. 41,500 for the 16GB variant..

Samsung Galaxy S4 India launch and hands on

Samsung had unveiled the Galaxy S4 smartphone on 14 March. The phone sports a 5-inch full-HD screen with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels, and pixel density of 441ppi. It is powered by 1.6GHz Exynos octa-core processor and comes with 2GB of RAM.

Samsung has no plans to launch the 32GB and 64GB variants of the S4 in India as it believe the microSD card slot for expanding the storage will suffice. The Galaxy S4 sports a 13-megapixels rear shooter and a 2-megapixel one on the front. The Galaxy S4 also offers more camera features including dual-shot, employing the use of both front and back camera, an eraser shot mode to remove people from photos, and a Cinemagram like feature called Cinema Photo, among several other tricks.

However, the phone has a noticeable omission in the form of missing FM radio.

Worldwide demand for the phone is strong and the phone is expected to be in short supply initially.

"Due to overwhelming global demand of Galaxy S4, the initial supply may be limited. We expect to fulfill inventory to meet demands in the coming weeks," the company said in a statement.

"Demand is far stronger than we had expected and as a result we are having difficulties in fully meeting initial supply requests," Lee Don-joo, head of sales and marketing at Samsung's mobile business, told reporters in Seoul.

Samsung on Friday reported its sixth straight quarter of profit growth ahead of Galaxy S4's debut, the South Korean giant's biggest assault on rival Apple yet. Samsung Galaxy S4 is expected to be available on 327 mobile carriers across 155 countries.

Samsung Galaxy S4 key specifications

• 5-inch full-HD (1080x1920) Super AMOLED display (441 ppi)
• 1.6GHz octa-core processor
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB Storage (expandable by 64GB via microSD slot)
• 13-megapixel rear camera, 2-megapixel front camera
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS/ GLONASS, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, IR LED, MHL 2.0
• Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
• 2,600 mAh battery
• 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9mm
• 130 grams

Galaxy S4 mini

Samsung Galaxy S4 mini 'confirmed' via company's website

Surbhi Chawla, April 18, 2013

In the past couple of months, there have been plenty of rumours regarding Samsung planning to launch miniature version of Samsung Galaxy S4.

Now SamMobile is reporting that Samsung Galaxy S4 mini has been listed on Samsung's UAPROF website. As far as the specifications are concerned, the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini will have a 4.3-inch qHD display. The smartphone will pack in 8-megapixel camera. Samsung Galaxy S4 mini will run on Android 4.2.2 out of the box along with a layer of Samsung's own Touch Wiz Nature UX. Connectivity options includes 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and AGPS

SamMobile states that Samsung is planning to launch Samsung Galaxy S4 mini in two variants. The first will be a single SIM phone that has been codenamed GT-I9190 and the other dual-SIM option that has been codenamed GT-I9192. The single SIM variant will be powered by a quad-core processor, while the dual-SIM version will get a dual-core processor. It is expected that Samsung may also release GT-I9195, which will be Samsung Galaxy S4 mini variant that will support LTE.

Earlier news reports have suggested that Samsung will be looking at launching its Galaxy S4 mini shortly after Samsung Galaxy S4 becomes available in a few days time.

The Korean chaebol had unveiled its latest flagship smartphone Galaxy S4 at an unpacked event on March 14, 2013. The Galaxy S4 sports a 5-inch full-HD screen with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels, and pixel density of 441ppi. It is powered by 1.6GHz Exynos octa-core processor in some regions, and a 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor in others. It has 2GB of RAM and a PowerVR SGX544MP3 triple-core GPU.

The smartphone will come in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB variants and will also feature a microSD card slot for expanding the memory. The Galaxy S4 sports a 13-megapixels rear shooter and a 2-megapixel one on the front. The Galaxy S4 also offers more camera features including dual-shot, employing the use of both front and back camera, an eraser shot mode to remove people from photos, and a Cinemagram like feature called Cinema Photo, among several other tricks.

The smartphone is expected to be available in US in the week starting April 22, 2013. Telecom operator AT&T has listed 16GB variant of Samsung Galaxy S4 for contract-free price of $640.

Galaxy Ace 3

Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 shows up in GLBenchmark, to feature a 1GHz processor, Jelly Bean

Anupam Saxena, April 18, 2013

After initial rumours pointing to the phone's existence, the third phone in Samsung's Galaxy Ace series has made an appearance on GLBenchmark's servers.

According to a report by The Droid Guy, the Galaxy Ace 3 benchmark results indicate that the phone, also known as the GT-S7272,  will be powdered by a dual-core Broadcom CPU clocked at 1GHz and a VideoCore IV GPU. The same processor was used in the Galaxy S2 Plus. 
The benchmark results also mention that the phone will run Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and will feature a 800x480 pixel screen.

The device should have a screen resolution of 480×800 (WVGA). Surprisingly, the Galaxy Ace 3 will run on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with Samsung's Nature UX 2.0 out of the box.

Earlier this month, another report had mentioned that the Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 would be code named codenamed GT-S7272 and will be launched in May end or beginning of June. The website had also claimed that the Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 will have a 4-inch screen and 1.2GHz dual-core processor. The smartphone will allegedly have a 5-megapixel camera. Other rumoured specifications of Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 include 4 GB internal storage, Bluetooth 4.0, 1500 mAh Battery and Android Jelly Bean. The report also indicated that Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 might be a dual-SIM smartphone and will cost roughly about 300 Euros. It expects the smartphone to be available in four colour options - Metallic Black, Metallic Blue, Pure White and Wine Red.

Samsung had launched its Galaxy Ace 2 smartphone in February 2012. The phone also has a 5-megapixel camera, 4GB of internal storage and 1,500mAh battery. The other specifications of Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 are 3.8-inch TFT LCD screen, 800MHz dual-core processor, 786MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage.

At the time of launch, the smartphone offered Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) out of the box. However, this smartphone was bestowed with the goodness of Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) recently.

The first device under the Ace series was introduced in February 2011. Samsung had also introduced Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus smartphone in January 2012, and this smartphone was placed in between Samsung Galaxy Ace and Galaxy Ace 2.

LG now number 3 smartphone maker

LG now number 3 smartphone maker by sales; Apple, Samsung lead, HTC drops to fourth

Reuters, April 11, 2013

LG Electronics Inc has become the world's No.3 smartphone maker behind Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd for the first time in the $223 billion market, industry data showed, as solid sales of high-end models helped it win customers.

LG saw its smartphone market share rise to 3.2 percent in the fourth quarter by sales, propelling it to the third spot for the first time, while rival HTC Corp slid to fourth, data from research firm Strategy Analytics showed.

Samsung and Apple took a combined 71.4 percent of the market and the rest is split among firms such as LG, HTC, Sony Corp and BlackBerry, the data showed.

Reflecting growing optimism that LG's smartphone business will recover, LG Electronics shares have gained 54 percent from their 2012 low hit in late July. The shares ended up nearly 2 percent on Thursday at 86,600 won, the highest in more than a year.

LG is betting high-end models that boast powerful hardware and software features and a fast 4G connection will help it rebuild its tarnished handset brand quality and increase its market share of the lower-end segment as well.

The South Korean company announced on Thursday software upgrades for its flagship Optimus G Pro model that will allow consumers access to features that Samsung touted as major selling points of its upcoming Galaxy S4. The move is its latest attempt to boost appeal to upmarket consumers before rival products hit the market.

The features LG is adding include motion detecting technology that stops and starts videos depending on whether someone is looking at the screen and snapping pictures.

The 5-inch Optimus Pro debuted in South Korea in late February and in Japan this month. It is LG's fastest-selling smartphone with sales hitting 500,000 in the first 40 days of the launch, LG said.

In terms of unit shipments, LG remains the seventh-largest with a 4.0 percent share, following Huawei, Lenovo Group Ltd, Sony and ZTE Corp which have market share of between 4 and 5 percent.

Analysts expect LG's smartphone shipments will rise by 16 percent to a record 10 million after 8.6 million phones sold in the fourth quarter, a strong performance as the overall market is seen contracting by 6 percent from the strong year-end holiday quarter.

HTC reported on Monday a record-low quarterly profit that missed analysts' estimates after it delayed the full launch of its 2013 flagship smartphone model, which will now debut against Samsung's newest Galaxy.

LG reports its first-quarter results on April 24.

Galaxy S4

Samsung Galaxy S4: Hands on review 
                       _HERE_
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Samsung India unveils smart TVs with quad-core processor

Press Trust of India, April 10, 2013

Samsung Electronics Tuesday announced the introduction of 20 new television models across its flagship Smart TV and LED TV series.

"With the launch of our 2013 Smart TV range, we are looking to consolidate our leadership in the Panel TV market in India. We expect LED TVs to drive our Panel TV growth, with Smart TVs contributing at least 20 per cent of our Panel TV volumes this year," Samsung India Senior Vice-President (Consumer Electronics) S K Kim told reporters Banglore.

Designed to deliver the ultimate lean back experience to consumers, the F8000 and F7500 are the first Samsung televisions to feature a quad-core processor, he said.

Both the F8000 and F7500 offer brighter, more vibrant pictures with richer colors, deeper black levels and higher contrasts, Kim said.

The ultra-thin design profile and Arc style stand in F8000 makes it appear to be floating in the air, he said.

The F8000 is also among Samsung's first line of Smart TVs equipped with Intelligent Viewing, Kim added.

Also, F8000 and F7500 provide advanced smart interaction that responds to people's motion and voice in a more intuitive way making it easier for them to navigate and control the TV, he added.

Samsung also showcased its first Ultra High Definition TV (UHD TV), the 85S9.