What you need to know of the much awaited Samsung Galaxy S II

Overview

Samsung is about to unveil its second generation Galaxy S Android smartphone. The South Korean technology manufacturer showcased the much-frenzied Samsung Galaxy S II (Galaxy S 2) at the World Mobile Congress in February 2011. The device that has been touted as the world’s thinnest phone is directly aimed to rival iPhone 5, Apple’s upcoming smartphone version. Samsung Galaxy S 2 indeed comes as the follower of Samsung Galaxy S, the phone that lifted threats to Apple iPhone 4 last year.

samsung galaxy s3

The new Samsung smartphone will highlight a 1.2 GHz dual-core SoC processor. It may either be Samsung’s Exynos processor (GT-I9100 model) or Nvidia‘s Tegra 2 processor (GT-I9103 model), reports point out. An 8-MP camera for capturing HD 1080p videos, Mobile High-definition Link (MHL), HDMI output and above all Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread will equip the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy S 2 as one another competitive smartphone.

Pricing and availability

Samsung has not yet exposed when exactly its Galaxy S II will hit the stores. The company said the device would be up in summer 2011. It is clear that Samsung Galaxy S II’s two models; Exynos 4210 ‘GT-i9100’ and Tegra 2 ‘GT-i9103’ will be separately distributed in various geographical regions in the world. More details on it are yet to come from Samsung, however. As per reports, Samsung will be selling Galaxy S II’s 16GB model for $820 and 32GB model for $949.

Factbox - The numbers

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What’s great

The great feature of Samsung Galaxy S II is that the device will run on Google’s latest mobile OS Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Samsung says that Galaxy 2’s display will be far better, that is brighter and less reflective, than its predecessor’s. The new device will feature a refreshed version of Kies syncing software. Thanks to the dual core processor inside, Samsung Galaxy S II will do better in multitasking. That means surfing through various applications can be done quickly. 3D compatibility of the screen and hardware will make the device capable to capture, upload and play 3D videos quite fantastically.

What’s not so great

When it comes widgets, according to some analysts, Samsung Galaxy S II may show some lackluster. They suggest that Samsung widgets generally fail to reach up to expectations. Possibility for such an issue with Galaxy S II is high. It may further take toll on battery life of the device.

Things to watch out for

Even though Samsung Galaxy S II is celebrated as the lightest smartphone ever in the world, users should carry in mind that its predecessor had some so-called software hiccups. Samsung Galaxy S also fell short of an advanced Kies software support. It is hoped that Samsung might pay attention to these issues when working with its next gen Galaxy smartphone.

Verdict

Samsung Galaxy S II has to mainly face up with Apple iPhone 5 and HTC Sensation 4G, two breathtaking smartphones to advance up in next months. Samsung Galaxy S II may be the thinnest smartphone ever and it may play on Android 2.3. Yet, the device will be lacking in several areas, where iPhone and HTC Sensation may shine. For instance, when it comes movie services, HTC Sensation may outshine Samsung Galaxy S II. Apple iPhone has already attained a brand name, which, most of the time, is indestructible by smartphones from Samsung and other companies.

Other Alternatives

HTC Sensation 4G : The upcoming 1.2-Ghz dual-core Qualcomm® Snapdragon powered HTC Sensation 4G is indeed a threat to Samsung Galaxy S II. The 4.3-inch qHD display carrying smartphone may offer an all-around performance with its eye-catching design and other features.

iPhone 4: Apple iPhone 4, the current smartphone version of Apple, needless to say will be another contender for Samsung Galaxy S II when it comes out of the furnace. The Apple iOS featured smartphone sports Apple A4 processor and 512 MB of eDRAM and the much-celebrated Retina Display. Apple iPhone already enjoys a name in the smartphone world. Also, Apple is about to unveil its next gen iPhone this summer.

Word around the web

Samsung Galaxy S II has been grabbing media headlines since it was put on display at the WMC in Spain in February 2011. Several bloggers and tech analysts praised the upcoming smartphone from Samsung. According to Simon Stanford, Managing Director, Mobile, Samsung UK and Ireland, there has been a huge buzz over Samsung Galaxy S II.

JK Shin, President of Samsung Mobile says, “With the new Galaxy S 2, Samsung mobile wants to set the new standard of quality viewing on mobile, powerful performance, and slim and modern design. The Samsung Galaxy S 2 Android Smartphone is a natural and powerful evolution of the popular Samsung Galaxy S handset,” Mr. Shin adds.

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Samsung Galaxy S2