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Samsung mass-produces 4-gigabit LPDDR2 memory, aims to make 2GB a common sight in smartphones
Samsung started making 2GB low-power mobile memory last year, but as the 1GB-equipped phone you likely have in your hand shows, the chips weren't built on a wide-enough scale to get much use. The Korean company is hoping to fix that now that it's mass-producing 20-nanometer, 4-gigabit LPDDR2 RAM. Going to a smaller process than the 30-nanometer chips of old will not just slim the memory down by a fifth, helping your smartphone stay skinny: it should help 2GB of RAM become the "mainstream product" by the end of 2013, if Samsung gets its way. New chips should run at 1,066Mbps without chewing up any more power than the earlier parts, too, so there's no penalty for using the denser parts. It's hard to say whether or not the 20nm design is what's leading to the 2GB of RAM in the Japanese Galaxy S III; we just know that the upgraded NTT DoCoMo phone is now just the start of a rapidly approaching trend for smartphones and tablets.
Mystery Samsung phone with Snapdragon S4 pops up in benchmarks, may or may not be Verizon's Galaxy S III
While pre-release benchmarks have a very hit or miss record for clues as to what future devices will bring, they almost always raise eyebrows. Nowhere is that more true than in a round of NenaMark2 testing uncovered this weekend: a previously unknown Samsung SCH-i535 for Verizon has tipped up sporting a 1.5GHz, dual-core Snapdragon S4 instead of one of Samsung's own chips, like the Exynos 4 Quad. Given that the SCH-i515 is the model badge for Verizon's Galaxy Nexus, it's not a great leap in logic to speculate that this is a custom version of the Galaxy S III. It's entirely possible that something else might fit the bill, but knowing that Samsung has used Snapdragons itself to include 4G before and that HTC just recently switched up the One X with an S4 to give it LTE on North American networks, we may be looking at the compromise Samsung needs to make to get its 4.8-inch gigantophone on Big Red.
Samsung Galaxy S III manual goes online, teaches you wax-on, wax-off
As you can imagine, we love nothing more than sitting next to a roaring log fire and diving into a good owners manual. As luck would have it, we'd just finished the last one, and then this lands in our laps. Yes, if you've already decided that you will be treating yourself to Samsung's latest mobile darling, you can start boning up on all those new features, and see the specifications for yourself in black and white. At the very least, you can start getting to grips with those new "use motion" gestures. Our favorite? The "Palm touch" media pause move. Hit the source to find your own fave.
Samsung Galaxy S III battery tested by GSMArena, lasts as long as your tablet
Samsung made much ado over the Galaxy S III's 2,100mAh battery, but we've been wondering whether or not that power pack was a major perk or just a necessity to offset that hefty Exynos 4 Quad. One of what looks to be a growing number of escaped pre-release devices was put through the ringer in battery tests and came out looking spic-and-span: it lasted for just over 10 hours for video and voice, or long enough to make even a tablet like the new iPad or Transformer Prime break a sweat. Web browsing wasn't quite so hot, though, which at a bit over five hours was well behind the seven hours of an iPhone 4S. Don't expect the seemingly infinite battery of the Droid RAZR Maxx, and don't be surprised if final devices handle differently, but those with the international Galaxy S III should make it through at least a few interminable meetings watching their favorite reruns... not that we'd condone such a thing.
Samsung Galaxy S III C-Pen stylus gets leaked with more accessory press shots
Samsung wasn't done with the accessories when it announced a whole stack of 'em alongside the incoming Galaxy S III last week. A few more have now started to appear on pre-order, including, yes, another stylus. This is the C-Pen and it's different from both the S-Pen and the stylus we used with Samsung's sketch-friendly tablet. Aside from these press shots courtesy of Mobile Fun, specifics remain a little light -- we're not even sure what the C stands for, but we'd hazard a guess at "creative", possibly "chrome"? It's joined by a substantial £80 (or around $128) WiFi display hub, a battery-charging holster for the phone (£35, around £56) and the previously seen Galaxy S III flip cover (£30, around $48). The stylus is up for pre-order at £20 (about $32) for the British Isles, but a release date for the whole collection still eludes us.
Samsung Galaxy S III up for pre-order in the UK from Vodafone, O2 and Three
We knew it was coming, but in case you had any doubts, you'll be glad to know Vodafone, Three and O2 have opened up the pre-order doors to those looking to grab the newest Galaxy on the block. As we're accustomed to seeing from carriers across the pond, the trio's pricing Sammy's S III with enough flexibility to fit a slew of different budgets; for example, you can snag the 16GB model at no cost with a £41 monthly plan on Vodafone. Of course, O2 and Three offer similar plans, with others ranging as high as £219 for the handset but with less of a commitment. For all those details, point your browser toward one of the source links below and choose the deal best suited for you.
Samsung Galaxy S III gets a Canadian girlfriend as Bell, Rogers, Telus, Wind Mobile line up
If you live north of the 49th parallel, you're no doubt frustrated that Samsung teased a summer launch for the Galaxy S III in North America but made no initial mention of its Canadian plans. Don't fret, as virtually every Canadian carrier and its mother has now pledged to carry the giant Android 4.0 smartphone while you're on your summer vacation -- the first carrier commitments in North America that we've seen. Bell, Rogers, Telus, Virgin Mobile and Wind Mobile have all stepped up as national providers, while regional carriers such as SaskTel and Videotron have also signed on. The Galaxy S III is a special milestone for Virgin, as it's the first 4G LTE phone on the Bell-run budget network. We're still waiting for Mobilicity and other cellular services to hop on the Galaxy S III bandwagon, and details like pricing and exact ship dates are still elusive, but odds are that Canucks will have a wide choice of carriers when the 4.8-inch flagship hits stores. Update: Sure enough, Mobilicity is also onboard, which along with Wind Mobile makes it pretty clear that T-Mobile-friendly AWS frequencies are baked in.
Samsung Galaxy S III wrap-up
So, it's time to take down the decorations, remove that party hat and sweep up the confetti (you can clear the unfinished drinks in the morning). As Earl's Court in London echoes with the hollow sound of empty plastic champagne flutes and half-eaten canapes, the rest of the tech world gives a sigh of relief. The Samsung Galaxy S III is here. Was it what you expected? If you haven't yet decided, don't worry, we've got you covered. After all the months of anticipation, cryptic clues and teasing it's understandable that you might be feel a little bit spent. That's why we're going to carry you over the finish line, by providing you with a fireman's lift of all things GS3. We've collected together all the links to tonight's main stories, along with a little reminder of the route we took to get here. So forget about the post-party hangover for now, and do the walk of shame past the break for the round-up.
Another Galaxy S III prototype spotted in protective casing
While we've already gotten glimpses of supposed Samsung Galaxy S III prototypes, this latest one has popped up in a (since removed) post on Chinese forum Mobile01. The plastic rim meant to obscure the device's sleek new design is still present, but as noted by The Verge, the picture appears to show a larger menu button than we're used to on stock ICS. We should find out what the deal is in just a few days, we'll keep our apps and countdown clocks close by until then.
Samsung's Unpacked Mobile 2012 app outs 'Galaxy S3' as next smartphone's name
Up until now, we haven't actually had any confirmation of what Samsung's upcoming superphone would be named. We've had plenty of reason to believe that it'd simply be the third iteration of the famed Galaxy S line, and even an Amazon Germany page predicting as much, but it's another thing entirely to see the term "Galaxy S3" used by Samsung itself. Indeed, that's exactly what's happening with the release of its Mobile Unpacked 2012 app, which will allow prospective users to stream the event as it happens in London on May 3rd, while also gathering facts and figures once the event passes. Whether or not the whole GSIII thing sticks remains to be seen, but if you're curious, we'll also be on hand to liveblog every revealing second of it.
Did the Samsung Galaxy S III just appear in Vietnam? (video) (updated with statement)
Whoa, there. We're still weeks away from an official big stage unveiling, but it looks like Samsung's next Galaxy phone is already out there. Vietnamese site Tinhte, which has past form on these kind of things, has got its hands on the GT-I9300 -- purportedly the Galaxy S III if Samsung decides to follow its own naming convention. According to the specifications leaked, Tinhte reckons the phone houses a 4.6-inch display at 720 x 1184 resolution (roughly 320 DPI, picking up Android's XHDPI classification -- thanks Rawat), while a quad-core 1.4 GHz processor works on keeping the Ice Cream Sandwich OS running smoothly. Other hardware mentions include 1GB of RAM, 8-megapixel camera, 16GB of storage plus microSD capability. In a side-by-side comparison with the Galaxy Nexus, it looks like the phone's display is incrementally larger, although we're unable to tell the precise size, nor whether we'll be treated to Super AMOLED Plus or some Pentile substitute. According to Tinhte, the 2,050mAh battery will arrive with NFC capabilities baked in, like the Galaxy Nexus before it. There's an iffy plastic rim surrounding to the whole device that has apparently been added not to ruin the surprise of how the device looks ahead of its official launch. While we've seen some similar hardware leaks already, this video makes a very strong case for it being the real deal. Take a look for yourself right after the break, alongside a picture of the back. Update: It looks our source link has disappeared and the video has now gone private. Fortunately, we grabbed our own copy of the video and you can find it below. Update 2: We reached out to Samsung for a comment, and here's the not-so-surprising response: "We will be able to tell you more at the 2012 Samsung Mobile Unpacked."
Samsung Galaxy S III to get separate launch event 'in the first half of 2012'
Some phones are just too big for Mobile World Congress. That's Samsung's thinking, given the triumphant launch of its Galaxy S II -- in all its guises. While specifications for Sammy's next flagship are spinning rumor windmills across the web, there's nothing particularly concrete on what we'll be seeing just yet. However, in an official statement received by Techradar, the manufacturer revealed that the phone will be treated to its very own launch -- something it's also plotting for its new Google TV sets. In its own words: "Samsung is looking forward to introducing and demonstrating exciting new mobile products at Mobile World Congress 2012. The successor to the Galaxy S2 smartphone will be unveiled at a separate Samsung-hosted event in the first half of the year, closer to commercial availability of the product." At least it sounds like there will still plenty to test out later this month -- and probably a whole new raft of confusing naming conventions.
