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Verizon-branded Galaxy S III wireless charging kit starts showing up at retail stores
Back when we met the Galaxy S III for the very first time, Samsung promised a wireless charging solution would be coming soon to its sleek and potent slab. Unfortunately, Sammy's power-boosting companion's been hit by hapless delays that have prevented it from seeing the light of day. Now, thanks to a few recent shots from Phone Arena, it looks like at least some S3 owners could see a bundle in the near future, albeit not the official one from the Korean outfit. According to the site's kind tipster, Verizon's allegedly pricing the charging station at $50, while the rear case is expected to be around $40 -- making it about $90 for the entire kit. Naturally, this could change at any given moment, but hey, at least we know it's out there.
Ting becomes first US MVNO to hop the Galaxy S III bandwagon, outlines its device roadmap
Ting has drawn a lot of attention among MVNOs for its unique mix-and-match approach to contract-free plans, but it's had to contend with some rather middling phones inherited from its network partner Sprint. That gap in high-end phones will narrow before the summer's up: Ting plans to carry the Galaxy S III within three to six weeks, becoming the first virtual carrier in the US to tout Samsung's flagship. Its version is identical to the Sprint model and will even cost $20 less when you skip Sprint's two-year term, at $529 for a 16GB edition and $579 for its 32GB cousin. If that doesn't satisfy the appetite, Ting is also giving a peek at its menu for the months ahead. Along with adopting LTE this year to make that Galaxy S III hum, the carrier expects to bring in a more moderately-priced LTE phone, a hotspot, an accessible phone and a budget slider. We wouldn't base any carrier switches around an iPhone or Windows Phone option, though. There's only "some progress" coaxing a deal out of Apple, and a Windows Phone is most likely to wait until the first quarter of 2013.
Galaxy S III sales breach 10 million, satisfy Samsung executives
Wondering if Samsung's new flagship has hit its sales goal yet? Breathe out -- it did. According to Yonhap, Shin Jong-kyun, head of Samsung's information technology and mobile communication division, told reporters the firm has moved more than 10 million Samsung Galaxy S IIIs since its unveiling. Jong-kyun wasn't able to give specific numbers, but we know from history that the handset is outpacing its predecessor, which took five months to make eight digits in sales. As for the goal, Sammy previously pegged the 10 millionth unit for early July, noting that it was fighting component shortages along the way -- all in all, mid-month isn't too far off. Thinking of helping the firm bolster its numbers further? We've got a whole series of reviews you may want to take a look at.
Visualized: Samsung Galaxy S III blasted with X-ray, doesn't gain superpowers
Tearing down a gadget normally presents a Catch-22 of having to destroy what you love to see how it works. As it turns out, there's a clever way around that clause: when you have access to digital mammography X-ray machines beyond the hospital, like reader Alex does, you can get a peek at a Galaxy S III's insides without having to dissect that Hyperglazed beauty layer by layer. The resulting scan stresses just how tightly packed Samsung's Android flagship is when it's all put together, but it also carries a slightly ethereal, Ghost of Smartphones Present aura, doesn't it? While we doubt that Charles Dickens would ever have imagined this kind of spirit, you can gaze upon a much larger, even more detailed version of the supernatural Samsung after the break.
Samsung Galaxy S III 64GB not discontinued, coming in the 'second half of this year'
Yesterday, rumors about the meaty 64GB GS3 model having reached a discontinued status started circulating around the interwebs -- much to the disappointment of power users looking to snag the roomy handset. As it turns out, however, Samsung's told The Verge that this is far from the truth, saying the proportionally spacious Galaxy S III is coming "during the second half of this year," but also noting this "may vary and will be determined at the time of release." In other words, not all is lost, though it looks like anyone wanting to grab one of these is going to have to wait it out on the sidelines for just a little longer.
Rogers offers 6GB Super Plan, guarantees that Galaxy S III will stay busy
Cellular promos come and go. Rogers, however, wants to make sure that its 6GB Super Plan is one to remember: the carrier is offering the 6GB of monthly data that has become its summer tradition, only this time as part of a bigger plan that tucks in 200 minutes, unlimited messaging and the usual evening and favorites perks for voice calls. At $60, the combo isn't just a better deal than usual, it's impossible to build otherwise -- the closest that exists is a $73 monthly plan that tops out at 3GB. The promo's August 8th cutoff date doesn't afford much breathing room for would-be adopters, but it should let new Galaxy S III buyers milk that LTE for all it's worth.
PSA: Sprint LTE goes live today, honest and for true (update: includes Missouri)
Sprint's decision to take its LTE live in Kansas City marked a short prelude to a full orchestral performance -- the carrier's upgraded 4G network is now official. Kansas City and St. Joseph in Kansas and Missouri, as well as 13 urban areas in Georgia and Texas, are taking the leap past WiMAX speeds as of today. Senior network VP Bob Azzi has warned the Kansas City Star that the current LTE access is still mostly for use outside until it expands to the 3G network's range, although he adds that there will be a coverage map available from July 16th onwards to let EVO 4G LTE, Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S III owners know when their phones reach full potential. Just remember that the real party starts in 2013, when Sprint hopes to both flick on voice over LTE and ramp up to extra-speedy LTE-Advanced. [Thanks, Alex] Update: As locals in the comments have helpfully reminded us, St. Joseph is in Missouri and just sits along the border with Kansas -- you know what they say about horseshoes, hand grenades and being close enough.
PSA: Verizon's Samsung Galaxy S III finally arriving in stores today
Despite some lucky folks claiming they'd received their GS3 order a bit earlier than expected (and others still patiently waiting for delivery), a good chunk of Big Red customers were eagerly looking forward to this past Tuesday, only to be brought down by an unexpected delay. Thankfully for them, though, it looks like today's the day the Verizon faithful can finally snag one of Samsung's chart-busting Galaxy S IIIs. As you may or may not know, the network's offering both the Marble White and Pebble Blue flavors of the device, with the 16GB running at $200 and the spacier 32GB selling for $250 -- naturally, this will require a fresh two-year deal. If all that sounds good, then head over to your nearest retail store to get in on the human-centric experience -- or you could always take the easier route and snatch one up straight from Verizon's site.
SugarSync to ship with many Samsung mobile devices, make Galaxy S III a home away from home
Samsung and SugarSync are already cozy with each other, having struck a deal to put SugarSync's cloud file sharing on Samsung's AllShare Play-equipped TVs. That relationship just got a lot closer: SugarSync will now be a mainstay for Samsung's rather successful mobile devices. Starting with the Galaxy S III, any Samsung phone or tablet that supports AllShare Play will have SugarSync built-in, whether it's for looking at files and media from back home or just to upload the phone's own photos and videos for sharing later on. The service still offers a free 5GB of storage as a baseline and will scale up to 500GB if you're willing to fork over up to $40 a month. Between this and a Dropbox deal for most carriers, Samsung has the cloud largely sewn up on its handhelds -- if you can't access it, it probably doesn't exist.
Samsung brings out Galaxy S III Developer Edition for Verizon, answers the call for an unlockable bootloader
We didn't have too many reservations about the Galaxy S III for Verizon in stock form. Anyone who's been eager to load new firmware, however, has been up in arms over the particularly locked down bootloader that Big Red (but no other US carrier so far) demands. Enter the Galaxy S III Developer Edition. The new, direct-from-Samsung variant will have all the CDMA and LTE a Verizon subscriber could want, but with the option to unlock the bootloader for as much customization as serious Android fans might stand. As you'd anticipate, the catch is simply who takes the hit if something goes wrong: brick the phone and you're likely looking at an expensive phone call to Samsung rather than a trip to the local Verizon store. Regardless, those who like Verizon's network but don't believe its claims about 'dangerous' unlocked phones can get the best of both worlds soon -- as long as they're willing to spend the $600 off-contract once the Developer Edition is ready in the near future. Check after the break for Samsung's official Q&A on the subject.
PSA: Samsung Galaxy S III for AT&T now in stores
Samsung's current US trinity is now complete: the AT&T Galaxy S III is sitting on store shelves. After the somewhat bumpy launch, it's possible to traipse by any of Big Blue's stores and pick up the Android 4.0 flagship in marble white or pebble blue for $200 on a contract. It's the definitive GSM version for the US, with LTE giving it an edge over the HSPA+ T-Mobile model; we just wish there was an AT&T variant with 32GB of storage built-in, although that's nothing a microSD card won't fix. We just need to wait for US Cellular and Verizon to complete the launch and put Nature UX in seemingly every pocket.
Wolfson confirms the Samsung Galaxy S III uses its audio chip
The Galaxy S III was widely tipped to possess a Wolfson digital-to-analog converter for high quality audio output -- a feature not seen in this range since the first Galaxy S. That notion has just been confirmed by the Scottish electronics firm itself, which says its WM1811 Audio Hub has been selected for use in Sammy's flagship. The chip promises "crystal clear voice call quality" and "enriched audio playback for music and video" thanks to its 24-bit hi-fi DAC, active noise reduction circuits and other wizardry. The GS II, meanwhile, used a Yamaha DAC to convert digital data (e.g. in an mp3 file) into an analog signal that could drive a speaker (for example in your headphones), but even if most people couldn't hear the difference, audiophiles have insisted they preferred the sound in the older Galaxy. The only question remaining, which the PR after the break does not expand upon, is whether the Wolfson hardware is found in all variants of the new phone. Check out the More Coverage links for further reading. Update: Francois Simond (aka Supercurio) tweeted us to say that the US variant of the GS III uses Qualcomm's own WCD9310 for audio, not the Wolfson. Yup, it's that multi-talented Snapdragon S4 again.
Samsung: Galaxy S III sales expected to total 10 million by July
Korea's golden goose is on track to drop its 10 millionth Galaxy S III by July, according to Samsung mobile head Shin Jong-kyun. The expectation comes despite limited supply, fueled by a component shortage at the smartphone giant. Regardless of this notable shortcoming, Samsung has wasted no time getting its latest handset to market, and expects to deliver the 4.8-inch Galaxy to some 300 carriers in 147 countries by the end of next month, including all of the major UK carriers, along with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon in the US. The sky-high figure is merely an estimate, however, so investors may want to stay tuned for the official announcement before uncorking the Dom. Full details are at the source link below. [Thanks, Joseph]
Samsung pegs LTE Galaxy S III for South Korea in July, quad-core quite possibly intact (update: yes!)
Remember that dream version of the Galaxy S III that melded the Exynos 4 Quad, LTE-based 4G and 2GB of RAM all in one ultimate device? It now looks much closer to reality. Just as the 3G version is landing on the country's shores through SK Telecom, Samsung is sending word that the Korean LTE version is due in early July -- and Chosun claims it should have the best of all worlds in terms of performance. There should even be DMB TV tuning and a 500-title Video Hub for local movie lovers. We're anxious about just what that combination could do to battery life and the price, neither of which were mentioned up front. There may be good reasons why the US versions run on the dual-core Snapdragon S4, after all. Still, if the Korean LTE version doesn't have to make any sacrifices and is just a few weeks away from stores, it'll be hard not to turn a deep shade of green watching our friends in Seoul get what could easily be the better deal. Update: The company has since piped up and confirmed to The Verge that the Korean LTE version is, in fact, quad-core. The LTE sits on a discrete modem chip where it's normally more tightly integrated on the Snapdragon, however -- and that means a potential knock against the runtime given that the 2,100mAh battery hasn't been beefed up.
AT&T says Galaxy S III pre-orders won't land until June 25th, Samsung decides to celebrate anyways
Samsung's US Galaxy S III launch is turning out to be quite the muted affair. Along with news of staggered Sprint and T-Mobile releases, AT&T is now adding that its Galaxy S III version likely won't make June 21st at all. Pre-order customers who were promised the phone this week are instead being told to wait until June 25th; they might get it early, should the smartphone stars align properly. If you're having pangs of regret for not pulling the trigger earlier, you'll have to wait up to 10 business days before before that Marble White or Pebble Blue beauty shows at your door. AT&T is pinning the delay on short supply, much like its fellow American launch carriers. Not that the lack of handsets is stopping Samsung from kicking off an elaborate launch campaign of its own. Along with the usual celebrity and Times Square stunts, the Korean corporation is starting up a curated media hub, Beacon, and placing NFC-equipped Share-to-Go Stations: those in the happy position of carrying a Galaxy S III in their hands can download free content just through swinging by a kiosk. You can catch the full details of Samsung's escapades after the break.
Samsung's SmartStay replicated by ISeeYou Android app, keeps screens on while you're watching
If you're not joining the Galaxy S III bandwagon and aren't keen on feeling completely left out, the ISeeYou app can give you a hand. Mimicking Sammy's SmartStay feature, the app prevents your ICS device from slipping into sleep mode when you're staring at its display. Springing $0.99 for the app nets you control over the frequency and length of the peeks taken by your phone's front-facing camera -- helpful for coordinating with a handset's sleep settings and presumably for optimizing battery life. A free version can be taken for a spin, though it doesn't allow for such fine tuning. Yearning to simulate part of the Galaxy S III experience? Mosey over to Google Play for the downloads.
Sprint warns it's a 'little behind' on Samsung Galaxy S III, T-Mobile staggers its launch
That delayed Canadian Galaxy S III launch may have been a harbinger of US delays to come: Sprint has let Engadget know that it's running a "little behind" on shipments. The company still hopes to get all pre-orders of the 16GB model to customers by the official June 21st release, but warns that orders might slip by one or two days. We also hope 32GB customers weren't planning their schedules around the 21st -- the higher capacity won't ship until the following week. Sprint is citing both "overwhelming demand and limited supply" as the root causes, although it hasn't quantified just how whelmed those sales are. T-Mobile, meanwhile, is telling Galaxy S III buyers in some areas to sit tight. We've directly confirmed through a spokesperson an earlier leak from TmoNews that claimed Magenta will only focus June 21st retail sales on the "top 29 markets," most of them major cities. If you fall outside of those areas, you'll have to wait until shortly afterwards to pick one up, the provider tells us. As it stands, AT&T, US Cellular and Verizon still haven't committed to exact release dates and are currently off the hook.
Samsung Galaxy S III gets enterprise-friendly version in the US, wears a Pebble Blue business suit
When Samsung launches its all-out blitz on the US with the Galaxy S III, it'll be targeting boardrooms as well as pockets: the Android 4.0 flagship will be the company's first American phone certified for its SAFE (Samsung Approved for Enterprise) program. Regardless of the carrier, the American Galaxy S III will handle 256-bit AES encryption as well as offer better support for Exchange, remote management and VPNs than what you'd normally find coming from a Google-powered device. Samsung describes it as a way to "defragment" Android for companies that want consistent guarantees of how the OS will behave in the office, and the firm is confident enough that it's offering trade-in discounts for those who want to swap an older device for the secure phone, whether or not it's part of a corporate deal. SAFE-ready examples should be arriving by July and could save you from having to bring an ancient company-supplied phone on summer vacation.
CyanogenMod nightlies reach Samsung Galaxy S III, Nature UX critics unite
Let's say you're a fan of the quad-core processor and giant screen of the international Galaxy S III, but Samsung's Nature UX just leaves you feeling cold. Thankfully, the first CyanogenMod 9 nightly builds have arrived to warm you up. They both bring the OS closer to the official Android Open Source Project version while adding the extras that we've seen before, such as theme support, an audio equalizer and gesture shortcuts on the lock screen. Nightlies are well away from becoming polished releases, so don't be surprised if your Galaxy S III goes awry -- the team is already advising starting from a completely blank slate. But if that desire to get more control over the OS is still strong enough to throw at least a slight amount of caution to the wind, the source will provide all the downloads and details needed to give Samsung's interface the boot.
Samsung bumps Galaxy S III Canadian launch to June 27th, pins it on 9 million world pre-orders
Canadians who marked June 20th on their calendars as Galaxy S III Day will have to hold off on the festivities for a week, as Samsung has just confirmed that it's shifting the Canadian release to June 27th. As you'd expect, the company is blaming the last-minute swap on "unprecedented demand" -- the nine million worldwide pre-orders that it only anonymously mentioned before now -- and the resultant difficulty in getting enough supply for the magic moment. Any further shortages are still poised to be "short lived," Samsung promises us. The extra wait will no doubt leave us with more than a few crestfallen Canucks; we just hope the shortage doesn't spread and push more US launches into July in the process.
