It’s the eve of Samsung’s Next Galaxy reveal and to their credit the engineers and executives handling the coveted phone have left much to the imagination. Now, with the crumbs of info concerning its processor, lineage and leaked shots, we try to piece it together one piece at a time.
What’s in a name?
Word has it (and consistent word at that) is Samsung’s Next Galaxy will be called the S3 and feature the technical name GT-i9300. It’s a nod to the phone’s genealogy and spares Samsung the backlash Apple’s ‘new’ iPad was subject to.
How big is too big?
It’s expected the next Galaxy smartphone will feature a larger screen with speculation putting it at 4.6-4.8 inches. If the current Galaxy Nexus is anything to go by it’ll feature a HD screen with 720×1280 resolution. The original Galaxy S and Galaxy SII were 4″ and 4.3″ respectively, the trend indicating a rise in the successor’s height.
Design cues can also be taken from its ancestors: anticipate a slender body, with a single hardware key (probably elongated like the Galaxy Note) and a capacitive ‘back’ and ‘sub menu’ button on either side. There’s always a prevailing sense of symmetry with the Galaxy series, often the company balancing its rear with the symmetrical placement of camera, flash and speaker. Click over for supposed leak images.
Recently a series of leaked shots have emerged of the Galaxy S3; however, Samsung executives have said the leaked phone is “not even close to the final design” as they’re dressed in mock exteriors.
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What will make the Camera pop?
The camera itself is expected to be a 12MP shooter capable of Full HD recording. It’s also possible it’ll boast a higher frame rate for proficient slow-mo recording, decent aperture specs and other pro-cam sensibilities. The original Galaxy sported a 5MP camera capable of 720P video, while its S2 successor features an 8MP cam that can capture Full HD 1080p video.
Will it be powerful?
Samsung has confirmed the ‘Next Galaxy’s’ Processor. Expect a powerful Exynos 4 Quad processor that will run at speeds above 1.4GHz. The processor itself is an engineering feat, built on Samsung’s innovative 32 nanometre manufacturing process and consuming 20% less power than its predecessor. Samsung described the processor in its press release, saying:
“Already in production, the Exynos 4 Quad is scheduled to be adopted first into Samsung’s next Galaxy smartphone that will officially be announced in May,” Samsung said.
“The…processor is a crucial element in providing our customers with a PC-like experience on mobile devices. Samsung’s next Galaxy device, which will be officially announced soon, offers uncompromised performance and ground breaking multi-tasking features.”
Despite their generosity in confirming the processor, the Next Galaxy’s RAM is unknown. Seeing as the original Galaxy S has 512MB of RAM, and the current Galaxy SII has a 1GB allowance, it would come as no surprise if Samsung upped its performance, perhaps to 1.5GB. However, its current software scarcely strains the included 1GB of RAM, so if the company was compelled to leave a spec idle, this will probably be it.
On the plus side, you can bet the rapidly spreading implementation of Near Field Communications will see the next gen Galaxy embedded with a NFC chip.
Software
With Samsung getting first dibs on Android 4.0 complements of its Google Nexus collaboration, it’s expected the Galaxy S3 will feature Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box. Anyone who has handled the Galaxy Nexus will know Samsung’s HD screen, coupled with the OS’ unmatched versatility, cultivates a wonderfully intuitive user experience.
D Day
With the launch event nearing, we can’t help but give into that giddy joy knowing something special is right around the corner. Remember to visit back tomorrow for confirmation of which specs made the S3 cut and which ones didn’t.
