Samsung’s newly revealed GALAXY Grand smartphone might live up to the “grand” moniker in terms of the 5-inch size of its TFT LCD touchscreen, which is even larger than the 4.8-inch AMOLED display in Samsung's flagship GALAXY S3, but the somewhat underwhelming 800 x 480 pixel resolution underlines its positioning at the lower end of the smartphone market.
One of the most notable aspects of the Grand is its dual SIM capability, something that is more common for phones in Africa and Asia and hints that the device may not be released in Europe and North America. As well as being able to manage home and work numbers on a single device or allowing users to take advantage of different subscriber plans, the Grand lets users receive calls on one SIM number while taking a call from the other.
Running Android 4.1.2, the device is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and 1 GB of RAM that Samsung claims makes the it up to the task of simultaneously running multiple apps using the Multi Window feature. Additionally, Popup Video lets videos be viewed in a pop-up window while running other tasks.
There’s an 8-megapixel auto focus rear shooter with flash, a claimed zero shutter lag and Full HD video recording capabilities, along with a 2-megapixel unit on the front for video calls. There’s also a backside illumination sensor for taking shots in dark conditions.
Onboard storage comes courtesy of 8 GB of flash memory, expandable via the microSD card slot, with GPS, accelerometer, digital compass, gyro, FM radio and 3.5 mm headphone jack also featured. Connectivity specs include 21 Mbps HSPA+, Bluetooth 4.0 + LE, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, DLNA and USB 2.0.
The Samsung GALAXY Grand measures 77 x 143.7 x 9.6 mm (3.0 x 5.66 x 0.37 in) and weighs 162 g (5.7 oz). It is powered by a 2,100 mAh Li-ion battery. No pricing or release info have been announced, but more details are expected at CES 2013.
Source: Samsung
