Apple has upsized the iPhone display. Now Samsung is releasing a smaller version of its S III. The two phones will meet in the middle.

Samsung said today it will release a downsized version of its flagship Android smartphone, the Galaxy S III, on Friday (initially in Europe).

The current Galaxy S III has a monster 4.8-inch display.

The shrunk-down model will feature a 4-inch display - the same size as Apple's recently released iPhone 5.

The "mini" option of the S III will sell alongside the larger version.

Beyond its smaller screen, other features are expected to be the same as the 4.8-inch Galaxy S3.

The new model was confirmed Samsung’s president of mobile business, JK Shin.

Keep it thumbable

An Apple rep recently told NBR a key aim with the iPhone 5 was to increase screen size, but keep the handset "thumbable."

If one thumb can reach all parts of the screen, a phone can be used in one hand.

Some find a 4.8-inch screen just too large for that - as well as a sap on battery life.

One of NBR's few objections to the S3 has been it's just not thumbable. Samsung just took that objection off the table.

Toe-to-toe

During its last quarter, Apple sold 26 million iPhones (it did not break down sales by model). Over its first three days, the iPhone 5 sold five million, a new record for the company.

Samsung sold 50.5 million smartphones during its most recent quarter.

It does not break out individual model sales in its quarterly reports, but the company has said the S III sold 20 million during its first 100 days. It expects the handset, released in May, to sell 30 million by year's end.

On Monday, Samsung previewed its full-year earnings. The company said it would report a record profit of $US7.3 billion, or double last year.

Samsung did not breakout unit sales in its preview, but said stronger than expected smartphone and high-end TV sales had fuelled its growth.

Tablet scrap

The Korean company is also competing with Apple in the tablet market, where its Galaxy Tab and Galaxy Note have made limited impact so far on Apple's iPad.

Apple is expected to release a 7.85-inch iPad later this month or during November.

The Wall Street Journal quotes sources who say the initial production run will be 10 million.

The pair have also expanded their multi-front legal war, with Samsung taking patent action against the iPhone 5, and Apple appealing to have its $US1 billlion damages win in a California court raised to $US1.6 billion.

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/samsung-shrinks-galaxy-s-iii-ck-130519

Should Apple be worried? For this is the first direct competition iPhone 5 faces with the same 4-inch display.

any idea, the price margin of S III & mini version..?



I am smh for NOKIA..

I was still looking for GII , G3 was just too fat to be a mobile fone.

The price should be a bit less then.. I love the big screen tho

According to leaked specs the GS3 mini is approx same as the Galaxy Ace 2 with the difference been the bigger display, super amoled screen, JB OS, which GA2 would get soon n some oda little features. Its rumored to retail @ €399, which IMO is very very expensive n not worth it, just get a GS2 or a Galaxy S Advance instead.

D beef continues

This Samsung people sef. Can't they just sell their phones without talking about the iphone.

time for apple to sue samsung for 4-inch size patent infringement .............the size of samsung SIII is bit big, the new 4inch will be gud....

Todaynatoday: This Samsung people sef. Can't they just sell their phones without talking about the iphone.

If you're in business and you're not keeping a tab on the competition, then you'll fail woefully.
Besides, where in the piece was Samsung quoted to have to talked about the iPhone? The piece is just a reviewer's writing, not an official statement from Samsung.

Sweet. I'm in one this one. That massive screen size has somewhat been an issue in my everyday use of the GSIII.

Hahaha. Apple is in for a tough market this year.

Last week, Samsung announced its better than forecast sales of GS3. 20million of GS3 sold! While Apple is still grappling with Foxconn and scratches on the iPhone 5.

Apple said Iphone 5 would be the biggest phone-launch in history but they sold just the same amount they sold for Iphone 4s after 72hours.

Let them keep munching the $1bn. Samsung owns the market!



Frawzey

I had a samsung s3. I sold it today. That is exactly what the media machine made me believe--that the s3 is the iphone5 killer. I did my research and discovered another phone, the htc one x. I was impressed by its reviews on youtube, but I still wanted to buy an s3. I went to slot two weeks ago and bought the s3 and htconex cos I could not choose between the two, even after my research. But two days into my new life as an s3/htc owner, the htc became my preferred child. It is just a more elegant phone all around. I'm not into the techie side of things but experts say they are pretty even on that score. For me I wanted a phone that feels robust and elegant. and that is what the htc is. On the other hand, the s3 is a beauty! But I couldn't help thinking it somehow looked like an inferior clone of the htconex. And why not, the htc model was released before the s3 so it can be argued that the koreans did what they are best for --aping.

The htconex may not win a beauty paegent, but it is the one phone that blows the iphone5 out of water in my opinion.

Horayce: I had a samsung s3. I sold it today. That is exactly what the media machine made me believe--that the s3 is the iphone5 killer. I did my research and discovered another phone, the htc one x. I was impressed by its reviews on youtube, but I still wanted to buy an s3. I went to slot two weeks ago and bought the s3 and htconex cos I could not choose between the two, even after my research. But two days into my new life as an s3/htc owner, the htc became my preferred child. It is just a more elegant phone all around. I'm not into the techie side of things but experts say they are pretty even on that score. For me I wanted a phone that feels robust and elegant. and that is what the htc is. On the other hand, the s3 is a beauty! But I couldn't help thinking it somehow looked like an inferior clone of the htconex. And why not, the htc model was released before the s3 so it can be argued that the koreans did what they are best for --aping.

The htconex may not win a beauty paegent, but it is the one phone that blows the iphone5 out of water in my opinion.

Bro i dont think you need to compare the one x with the S3.. the galaxy s3 is still a better comparism with the iphone 5. i checked all their specs and the s3 is slightly bigger and and has a better secondary camera than the onex. i saw the post you put up about your s3 and the one x. You know when an athlete just uses 0.2 seconds to beat his opponent? that's the case of S3 being the winner and one x being the next best..
check the both of them out here..

http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=4320&idPhone2=4238

to both above, the following link might help btw the choice of HTC ONE X AND SIII
http://blogs.which.co.uk/technology/phones-broadband/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-s3-vs-htc-one-x-which-is-better/

I use GSIII and is the best phone I have ever used.
....made for human.

Horayce: I had a samsung s3. I sold it today. That is exactly what the media machine made me believe--that the s3 is the iphone5 killer. I did my research and discovered another phone, the htc one x. I was impressed by its reviews on youtube, but I still wanted to buy an s3. I went to slot two weeks ago and bought the s3 and htconex cos I could not choose between the two, even after my research. But two days into my new life as an s3/htc owner, the htc became my preferred child. It is just a more elegant phone all around. I'm not into the techie side of things but experts say they are pretty even on that score. For me I wanted a phone that feels robust and elegant. and that is what the htc is. On the other hand, the s3 is a beauty! But I couldn't help thinking it somehow looked like an inferior clone of the htconex. And why not, the htc model was released before the s3 so it can be argued that the koreans did what they are best for --aping.

The htconex may not win a beauty paegent, but it is the one phone that blows the iphone5 out of water in my opinion.

Very true bro,I also my S3 to get the One X which to me is unrivaled. Many experts in Europe still nurse the believe that HTC One X kill GS3,the only thing going for the S3 is the marketing series.

madnex

To the guy who ditched the S3 for the One X, you did good.

The SIII has a very plastic and inferior look. The look alone makes the specifications something you can ignore.

Horayce: But I couldn't help thinking it somehow looked like an inferior clone of the htconex. And why not, the htc model was released before the s3 so it can be argued that the koreans did what they are best for --aping.

Oh c'mon please the design of the SGS3 is sufficiently different from the HTC One X. Don't let the Apple design patent suit colour your perception man.

Apple iPhone,since its launch has had 6 Phones released, 2G,3G,3Gs,iPhone4,4s and IPhone 5..Samsung has released S1, S2 ,S3 ,S3 Mini in just about 1 year plus..4fones...that seems like a failed attempt at catching up...

can't they just come up with their own ish instead of chasing apple's shadow? Which of course isn't working for them..

Apple will always do their thing..dem no send nobody..

for those comparing S3 nd one x.One x beats s3 when it comes 2 physical look but apart from that s3 has user replaceable battery and Micro sd card slot which are lacking in One x.Also s3's camera is better. Now lets topic about the topic of d moment which is s3 mini;Does anyone know we we wud start seeing it in Nigeria.From my own calculation I've understood that Samsung launches their phones in Nigeria one month after the unveiling ceremony.Talking bt price I am getting a feeling this phone wud b around 60k.

The specs are live, the device has been unveiled n it. Looks just like the senior S3 but the similarities stop there. Its more similar to the Galaxy Advance n S2 although the S2 is beta. This device would retail for between 70 to 85k wen it launches.

Everyday fone release, so people when get the new product today wen go turn to old product b4 1 year how would they feel? I just hope nigerians are not 'buying in' on this "craze"
For me, I ll stick to my blackberry and maybe buy one of their smartphone 5 years from now!

I think y'all are blabbing about nothing,because the value of a phone depends on many factors which can be enumerated as follows: Portability, Elegance(Swag) , Rarity Price,Functionality and Quality of its apps. So in line with the aforementioned points methink the iphone 5 holds sway when it comes to elegance and rarity cos its very rare in our clime i.e U can't see a conductor with an iphone5 except he stole it. People value what is always scarce, then comes the S3 which has lesser swag when compared with the iphone5 and it's also less durable than Apple products,especially when you reason that the iphone5 has a steel case. Generally most Nigerians buy phones and cars because of its swag and priciness ... So the iphone5 IMHO holds the aces when it comes to current smartphones royal rumble. Peace out !

iPhone killer
Samsung Galaxy S III mini preview: First look

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_i8190_galaxy_s_iii_mini-review-829.php

If u have access to the us market. You should buy the galaxy nexus. Uts selling for less than 350usd. But it only ships to us.

Its much better cos its a pure android device deviod of the many smilarities apple claims. And, you get OS updates before the galaxy.

Horayce: I had a
samsung s3. I sold it today. That is exactly what the media machine made
me believe--that the s3 is the iphone5 killer. I did my research and
discovered another phone, the htc one x. I was impressed by its reviews
on youtube, but I still wanted to buy an s3. I went to slot two weeks
ago and bought the s3 and htconex cos I could not choose between the
two, even after my research. But two days into my new life as an s3/htc
owner, the htc became my preferred child. It is just a more elegant
phone all around. I'm not into the techie side of things but experts say
they are pretty even on that score. For me I wanted a phone that feels
robust and elegant. and that is what the htc is. On the other hand, the
s3 is a beauty! But I couldn't help thinking it somehow looked like an
inferior clone of the htconex. And why not, the htc model was released
before the s3 so it can be argued that the koreans did what they are
best for --aping.

The htconex may not win a beauty paegent, but it is the one phone that
blows the iphone5 out of water in my opinion.

u dey buy htc nd g3? hmm! hope say u no dey stay unda brigde wit doz 2 phones?

UncleJJ: If u have access to the us market. You should buy the galaxy nexus. Uts selling for less than 350usd. But it only ships to us.

Its much better cos its a pure android device deviod of the many smilarities apple claims. And, you get OS updates before the galaxy.

It's also inferior to most other high end Android phones as far as specs are concerned. Inferior cameras, weaker, 2010 era GPU and a now inferior CPU.

ochukoccna: iPhone killer
Samsung Galaxy S III mini preview: First look

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_i8190_galaxy_s_iii_mini-review-829.php

My bad, the mini is a mid range phone at best

Horayce: I had a samsung s3. I sold it today. That is exactly what the media machine made me believe--that the s3 is the iphone5 killer. I did my research and discovered another phone, the htc one x. I was impressed by its reviews on youtube, but I still wanted to buy an s3. I went to slot two weeks ago and bought the s3 and htconex cos I could not choose between the two, even after my research. But two days into my new life as an s3/htc owner, the htc became my preferred child. It is just a more elegant phone all around. I'm not into the techie side of things but experts say they are pretty even on that score. For me I wanted a phone that feels robust and elegant. and that is what the htc is. On the other hand, the s3 is a beauty! But I couldn't help thinking it somehow looked like an inferior clone of the htconex. And why not, the htc model was released before the s3 so it can be argued that the koreans did what they are best for --aping.
The htconex may not win a beauty paegent, but it is the one phone that blows the iphone5 out of water in my opinion.

Got the pictures below from this link
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-19913940