Samsung announces Galaxy S III Mini 4-inch Android smartphone

Samsung today announced the Galaxy S III Mini. Those of you expecting the power of the Galaxy S III in a smaller package will be disappointed. The Galaxy S III Mini is an entry/mid-range model with a 1 GHz dual-core processor from ST-Ericsson. It will be available in a 8 GB and 16 GB version. The 4-inch display is of the Super AMOLED type but the resolution is "only" 480 x 800 pixels which means that it has a PPI of 233. That is what we consider a bit low for a 4-inch model released in 2012 but in line with entry-level models from other manufactures. We know Samsung like it big having released several models with screen sizes larger than 4.3-inch. And we have taken notice of the fact that Samsung consider a 4-inch model to be Mini. A 5 megapixel camera is also an indicator that the price tag will be in the lower end of the scale.

Samsung is shipping the Galaxy S III Mini with the latest version of Google's operating system Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. It is interesting to notice that the amount of RAM in a entry-level device now are 1GB. Wi-Fi a has also found its way into the Galaxy S III Mini. Samsung obviously think that features such as GPS, NFC and Wi-Fi are essential for even budged phones so Galaxy S III Mini makes it possible for users to share content with Galaxy Note II or Galaxy S III owners using the S Beam feature utilizing the NFC chip.

Samsung Galaxy S III highlights

• Weight: 111.5 gram
• Size: 121.55 x 63 x 9.85 mm
• Networks: GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS/HSPA 900/1900/2100
• 4-inch Super AMOLED touch display, 480x800 pixels resolution
• 5 megapixel camera with LED light
• VGA front camera
• 720p video capture
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n
• 1 GHz dual-core processor
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system
• FM Radio
• 1 GB RAM
• 8GB or 16GB internal storage. Expandable with microSD card. Up to 32GB
• Audio codec: MP3, FLAC, WMA, OGG, AMR-NB, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+
• 1500 mAh battery
• Sensors: Accelerometer, digital compass, proximity, gyro

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