Rumors suggest the Samsung Galaxy S III could arrive in North America around June 20th, but we are still waiting on the specific details for design, specs, and pricing. According to a new leaked image posted by Chris Ziegler of The Verge, it appears the T-Mobile version of Samsung’s flagship device will look exactly like the global version.
Previous versions of the Galaxy series had been tweaked by the US carriers with different designs and names, but this could be a signal that the Galaxy S III will arrive unmodified as Samsung intended it.
About the only differences we are expecting will be with the internals. All the US versions of the device are expected to get Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 processor instead of Samsung’s new quad-core Exynos, and they could also see 2 GB RAM instead of 1 GB.
Previous T-Mobile rumored release dates include:
Samsung Galaxy S III 16GB Metallic Blue – June 20th
Samsung Galaxy S III 32GB Metallic Blue – June 20th
Samsung Galaxy S III 16GB Ceramic White – July 11th
If the device is really coming this month, then we should expect a formal announcement from Samsung any day now. Are you excited to get a pure Samsung design, or were you hoping for something slightly altered?
The wait is over! The long-overdue Android 4.0 update for the T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II will be available on June 11th. While HTC, Motorola and most other Android OEMs typically push out OTA (over the air) updates, Samsung’s Android 4.0 update for the Galaxy S II will be available for manual downloads through Samsung’s Kies.
Over the past few months, there have been multiple Android 4.0 leaks and previews for various Samsung phones, giving us a pretty good idea of what to expect. The Android 4.0 update should incorporate the majority of the new features Google introduced with Ice Cream Sandwich, but users will have to dig to find them since TouchWiz on it will not look much different than previous versions.
Now that we have a release date for T-Mobile’s Galaxy S II’s update, it’s only a matter of time before Sprint and AT&T announce their plans for rolling out Android 4.0 for their version of the handset. How long do you think it’ll be before Samsung is able to update all U.S. versions of the SGSII?
As expected, the HTC Desire C is now available in the UK and will soon make its way to other countries across Europe. The HTC Desire C is the latest budget-friendly Android 4.0 handset from HTC. When you say budget-friendly, we’re talking about a free phone paired with a £13 (roughly $20) monthly contract which gives you 100 minutes, 5,000 texts and 250MB of monthly data. Anyone looking to buy the HTC Desire C off-contract can find it at T-Mobile and Orange for £169 while Three is looking to beat its competition by offing the handset for £149.
The HTC Desire C runs on Android 4.0 with HTC Sense 4.0 and features a 3.5-inch HVGA (320 x 480) display, 600 MHz Qualcomm processor, 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB of internal storage, microSD card slot, 5 megapixel camera, Beats Audio, and a 1,230 mAh battery. From what we can tell, the handset available from Orange, T-Mobile and Three is the standard model, but you will soon be able to purchase an NFC-enabled version of the Desire C for a slight premium.
Besides its looks, the HTC Desire C does not have anything in common with HTC’s flagship devices, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The HTC Wildfire and Wildfire S were very popular phones in Europe because of the value they offered and we’d expect the Desire C to at least live up to its predecessors’ successes.
Would you ever consider buying a device like the HTC Desire C as a starter phone for a family member or would you rather get them a used flagship phone from a year ago for around the same price?
The Samsung Galaxy S III goes on sale in Europe next week, but when is the device coming to the US? David Beren of TmoNews just posted T-Mobile’s device roadmap for the next couple months and his sources say the device could launch as soon as June 20th.
Release dates are always subject to change, but it’s a good sign that the device could be scheduled to hit our shores less than a month after the international version. Last year with the Galaxy S II, some US carriers did not launch the device until six months later.
We are still waiting to learn which US carriers will carry the Galaxy S III, but rumors and speculation suggest it will be coming to the AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, and possibly a couple regional carriers as well.
Samsung Galaxy S III 16GB Metallic Blue – June 20th
Samsung Galaxy S III 32GB Metallic Blue – June 20th
T-Mobile myTouch (Huawei Phoenix) – July 11th
T-Mobile myTouch (Huawei Buddy) – July 11th
Samsung Galaxy S III 16GB Ceramic White – July 11th
Samsung Galaxy Note – July 11th
I’m sure some readers will be glad to see the Galaxy Note is arriving on T-Mobile in July. This could be a signal that AT&T’s exclusive launch period is over, and we might see the unique device on additional carriers like Sprint or Verizon.
TmoNews is normally pretty accurate with their leaked device release dates, so hopefully we will be hearing some kind of official announcement soon. The T-Mobile Galaxy S III would be a perfect match with one of their pre-paid plans, don’t you think?
While addressing shareholders at the company’s annual meeting in Cologne, Germany, Deutsche Telekom CEO Rene Obermann told investors that a complete takeover of T-Mobile USA was out of the question after AT&T’s very public failed bid last year. Obermann did tell investors that it was considering all other options, including a potential merger of its T-Mobile USA business unit with another organization.
There are several options on the table in such a scenario; Sprint has had its eye on T-Mobile USA for a while, and a combined company would present a large competitor to AT&T and Verizon. Such a scenario is unlikely, however, as the technology these companies employ is so different that it would be extremely costly to make the networks compatible.
The more likely potential suitor is MetroPCS, as recent rumors have suggested that the two companies are actively speaking about a possible merger. Bloomberg reported a few weeks back that the company was essentially looking to do a joint venture with MetroPCS, with Deutsche Telekom holding the majority stake of the combined company. The deal could be similar to the Everything Everywhere carrier in the UK, a joint venture between T-Mobile and Orange. Deutsche Telekom is also considering a network sharing agreement with MetroPCS or Sprint, which would have the companies sharing spectrum but maintaining their current status as standalone organizations.
Meanwhile, it’s business as usual for T-Mobile USA. The company is beginning to actively build out an LTE network over the next two years. Time will tell the fate of T-Mobile USA, though the message from Deutsche Telekom is still crystal clear; T-Mobile USA does not work as a standalone business, and the company will be looking at ways to either make T-Mobile profitable, or spin it off into a new company combined with another carrier.
Android 4.0 for the T-Mobile HTC Amaze 4G has arrived! To initiate the download, press Menu > Settings > About Phone > HTC Software Updates > Check and follow the instructions to download and install the new build. The HTC Amaze 4G’s Android 4.0 update can downloaded over T-Mobile’s 3G/HSPA+ network, but we’ll understand if you want to connect your phone over Wi-Fi to download the update just a little faster.
The HTC Amaze 4G’s Android 4.0 update is nearly identical to the HTC Sensation 4G update which T-Mobile started pushing out last week – including improvements to multi-tasking, face unlock, new browser capabilities, and access to Android 4.0 applications like Google’s Chrome browser. Full details of the HTC Amaze 4G’s Android 4.0 update can be found on the T-Mobile’s support site.
New Android 4.0 features
Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
Sense 3.6
System bar enhancements to easily view recent apps.
Re-sizeable widgets
Lock screen actions including pull down notifications and adjust volume while device is locked.
Data usage controls.
Face Unlock
Home screen folders
Improved battery life
Improved text input and spell checking
Improved menu structure
Before you start downloading the Android 4.0 update, make sure your handset has at least a 50% battery charge. Let us know how the update process goes and how you like all the new features included in the Amaze 4G’s Ice Cream Sandwich update. We’re curious to know if the T-Mobile HTC Amaze 4G will benefit from the same performance improvements we’ve seen on other HTC devices which have been updated to Android 4.0.
The HTC Desire C is official. HTC’s new entry-level Android 4.0 handset features a 3.5-inch HVGA (320 x 480) display, 600 MHz Qualcomm processor, 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB of internal storage, microSD card slot, 5 megapixel camera, Beats Audio, and a 1,230 mAh battery. For those who want to make sure they have the latest technology on their entry-level phone, HTC is also offering an NFC enabled version of the HTC Desire C. The phone will be available in white, black and red once it shows up in stores sometime in June.
The off-contract price for the HTC Desire C is set at £169.99, but UK service providers like T-Mobile, Orange and Three will be giving the phone away for free with plans starting at £15.50 per month.
While the HTC Desire C may aesthetically look like the HTC One series, the handset does not feature a dedicated imaging chip and the advanced performance of the One series. HTC has not announced any plans of bringing the HTC desire C to the U.S. market, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the phone showed up on regional carriers in the next few months.
What do you think of the HTC Desire C? Does the world really need another entry-level Android device?
HTC LAUNCHES Desire C, ITS LATEST smartphone WITH BEATS AUDIO
New HTC Desire C – brilliant, entertaining and well connected
LONDON, UK — 15 May 2012 — Following on from the successful launch of the HTC One series, HTC, a global designer of smartphones, today unveiled its latest phone, the HTC Desire C. Featuring Beats Audio™ technology, this premium designed, yet affordable smartphone, allows you to hear your music just as the artist intended. The HTC Desire C also enables you to easily manage your professional and personal lives and share the moments that shape them.
Available in red, white and black, and coming with HTC Sense 4.0 integrated with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), the HTC Desire C is great as a first smartphone or for those upgrading from an existing one. Packing a powerful battery and offering access to thousands of apps, games, music and movies – available through Google Play – you will always be connected and entertained whether at work, home or on the move.
“Listening to music is one of the most popular things people use their phones for, so it’s more important than ever that we deliver the power and emotion artists capture in the studio,” said Jason Mackenzie, President, Global Sales and Marketing for HTC Corporation. “The HTC Desire C offers customers excellent design, easy access to content and fast connectivity – making it the perfect all round device.”
Authentic sound without compromise
The HTC Desire C features a powerful, yet rich studio-quality sound experience that is enabled through the combination of optimized Beats Audio and amazing hardware. This integration enables a rich, clear audio experience to customers no matter if they’re listening to music or playing a game.
Premium design taken to a new level
Combining a durable metal frame with precision engineering, the HTC Desire C is ideal for those who want a premium-designed phone. Boasting a micro-drilled earpiece for sharp in-call sound, hyper-viewing angle display and metal camera bezel, this compact smartphone offers an unrivalled level of design and user-experience for its class.
Designed for sharing
Packing the latest mobile technology into a neat, eye-catching design, HTC Desire C’s vibrant 3.5-inch HVGA screen makes it easy to browse the Web, view photos or connect with friends and family. If you like to share personal experiences with your social network, HTC Desire C’s 5 megapixel camera and instant sharing capabilities will allow you to post any moment, seconds after it was captured.
Through HTC Desire C’s deep integration of Dropbox and 25GB of free online space, you also have the freedom to securely back-up, browse and share thousands of photos, videos and documents, whether stored locally or in the cloud.
Ensuring that HTC Desire C keeps pace with new mobile services as they become available there is also an NFC variant of this model, allowing users to make payments or access information and offers.
Want to be the first to find out when Samsung announces details on the US versions of the Samsung Galaxy S III? They just opened up a registration page for the device and promised customers will receive the latest updates about their highly anticipated device in exchange for your email address.
Some will probably notice there is a field for carrier preference that lists AT&T, C Spire, Metro PCS, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular and Verizon, but we wouldn’t read too much into that. However, Samsung did say the device will come to 296 mobile operators in 145 countries, so we wouldn’t be surprised if it eventually landed on all those.
Could the Galaxy S III come to all these US carriers? Maybe...
Today Samsung announced the Galaxy S III which features their own Exynos 4 Quad processor. According to some leaked benchmark scores, it should offer the fastest graphics performance, topping NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4.
However, most US consumers will likely not see this quad-core beast inside their carrier version of the Galaxy S III. Samsung stated in their press release that “specifications may differ on the LTE version” and we are expecting that means they will feature a different processor.
We expect that AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon will all offer the LTE version of the device, while T-Mobile will go with a HSPA+ version. That means that only T-Mobile is likely to get the quad-core version that will be similar to the international version.
The rest of the Galaxy S III models with LTE will likely feature the dual-core Snapdragon S4, if previous rumors turn out to be true. This chip might not have as fast of a GPU as the Exynos 4 Quad, but it should still be very competitive in normal usage and battery life.
One smaller possibility is that Samsung might surprise US customers and go with their newer Exynos 5 Dual processor, the first chip to use ARM’s Cortex-A15 CPU core and Mali-T604 GPU. This chip was said to go into mass production in Q2, and it should be ready for the summer release of the Galaxy S III in the US.
Based on what we saw with the HTC One X, it really shouldn’t matter for now. Their flagship device had different processors for different regions, but we found that you couldn’t tell a difference in normal usage. However, that could change in the future as more developers take advantage of quad-core processors and upgrade their apps to be multi-threaded.
Either way, the Galaxy S III on AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon will likely be “dual-core” and not “quad-core.”
T-Mobile has been silent about its plans to update current phones to Android 4.0, but our friends at TmoNews have managed to get their hands on an internal document which reveals T-Mobile’s current Ice Cream Sandwich update timeline.
According to the document, the Samsung Galaxy S II (which was not listed on Samsung’s Android 4.0 update page) is scheduled to be updated to Android 4.0 on May 14th while the HTC Sensation and Amaze 4G will receive their updates on June 16th. It may be disappointing that T-Mobile customers still have a ways to go before their handsets are updated to the latest version of Android, but having a date to circle on our calendars is better than having no information at all.
We’re still a bit confused about the timing for the HTC Sensation 4G’s Android 4.0 update. The Android 4.0 update for the international version of the phone was pushed out in mid-March and HTC promised the update for the U.S. version of the phone would be delivered before the end of March – but the update never arrived. Last we heard, T-Mobile identified radio issues with the update and had sent it back to HTC to be fixed.
How long are you willing to wait for your Android 4.0 update before throwing in the towel and purchasing a new device?
