Samsung launched the phone at an extravagant event held at Sydney’s Capitol theatre complete with string orchestra, celebrity singers and Seven Network’s Jessica Rowe as event compere.
The phone, which officially costs $899 for the 16GB version, is aimed not only at taking on Apple’s upcoming iPhone 5 but other upgraded Android models such as HTC’s recently released One X and One XL.
Some retailers already are seeking to undercut the $899 price. A 32GB model also is being made available.
The phone features Android's latest Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.
Samsung said it had forged a partnership with local content provider QuickFlix to offer streamed video and TV with the SIII.
A media blitz promoting the phone would begin tonight.
Despite the buzz surrounding the device, the manufacturer confirmed today this model of the SIII would not have 4G capability – a feature that would have likely delayed its release.
Samsung was in discussion with carriers regarding bandwidth issues.
Samsung Electronics regional president and CEO Gregory Lee said the Korean manufacturer had sold more than 40 million of the first two versions of the Galaxy, the Galaxy S and SII phones, and had been the number one smartphone in Australia in the past quarter.
The SIII features a 1.4 Gigahertz quad-core processor, an 4.8 inch HD super AMOLED display, an 8 megapixel back facing camera and 1.9 mp front-facing one, and, by smartphone standards, a very large 2100 milliampere hour battery.
The SIII weights 133g and comes in two colours: "marble white" which is available now and "pebble blue", available after the weekend.
Samsung Australia telecommunications vice president Tyler McGee described some of the phone’s already publicised features – the ability of its camera and microphone to recognise its owner's voice and face, and register movements.
The phone’s screen would stay on when the camera recognised the owner was looking at it, the phone would sleep when the owner slept, and it would follow a users’ actions. Samsung previously cited the example of the phone alerting its owner to incoming messages received while the person was away from the phone.
It also features an 8 megapixel back-facing camera and a 1.9 megapixel front-facing camera. Advanced new software features like face recognition and eye tracking are some of the key features of the new Galaxy Samsung highlighted as being what makes its new phone better than others currently on the market.
Samsung is only launching the 3G version of the phone in Australia at this stage. Telstra, the nation's only telco that supports 4G, or LTE, said it was in discussions to bring the 4G version to Australia. "Should we proceed, we wouldn't expect the [4G] model to be available for several months," a Telstra spokesman told Fairfax Media.
The 16GB version of the Galaxy S III is available outright for $899, according to Samsung, and is also available on a number of plans being offered by telcos Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and Virgin Mobile.
The phone, which officially costs $899 for the 16GB version, is aimed not only at taking on Apple’s upcoming iPhone 5 but other upgraded Android models such as HTC’s recently released One X and One XL.
Some retailers already are seeking to undercut the $899 price. A 32GB model also is being made available.
The phone features Android's latest Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.
Samsung said it had forged a partnership with local content provider QuickFlix to offer streamed video and TV with the SIII.
A media blitz promoting the phone would begin tonight.
Despite the buzz surrounding the device, the manufacturer confirmed today this model of the SIII would not have 4G capability – a feature that would have likely delayed its release.
Samsung was in discussion with carriers regarding bandwidth issues.
Samsung Electronics regional president and CEO Gregory Lee said the Korean manufacturer had sold more than 40 million of the first two versions of the Galaxy, the Galaxy S and SII phones, and had been the number one smartphone in Australia in the past quarter.
The SIII features a 1.4 Gigahertz quad-core processor, an 4.8 inch HD super AMOLED display, an 8 megapixel back facing camera and 1.9 mp front-facing one, and, by smartphone standards, a very large 2100 milliampere hour battery.
The SIII weights 133g and comes in two colours: "marble white" which is available now and "pebble blue", available after the weekend.
Samsung Australia telecommunications vice president Tyler McGee described some of the phone’s already publicised features – the ability of its camera and microphone to recognise its owner's voice and face, and register movements.
The phone’s screen would stay on when the camera recognised the owner was looking at it, the phone would sleep when the owner slept, and it would follow a users’ actions. Samsung previously cited the example of the phone alerting its owner to incoming messages received while the person was away from the phone.
It also features an 8 megapixel back-facing camera and a 1.9 megapixel front-facing camera. Advanced new software features like face recognition and eye tracking are some of the key features of the new Galaxy Samsung highlighted as being what makes its new phone better than others currently on the market.
Samsung is only launching the 3G version of the phone in Australia at this stage. Telstra, the nation's only telco that supports 4G, or LTE, said it was in discussions to bring the 4G version to Australia. "Should we proceed, we wouldn't expect the [4G] model to be available for several months," a Telstra spokesman told Fairfax Media.
The 16GB version of the Galaxy S III is available outright for $899, according to Samsung, and is also available on a number of plans being offered by telcos Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and Virgin Mobile.
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