Samsung Galaxy S III 4G: Hands-On [Updated]




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There’s no question that, when it comes to Android phones, the Galaxy S III is leading the pack right now. It’s fast, light, sexy and reasonably priced. Here we go hands on with the GSIII 4G, which is mighty impressive.

More:
Optus Consumer 4G Plans And Coverage Maps
Telstra To Get 4G Samsung Galaxy S III In October
Virgin Mobile’s 4G Goes Live, Samsung Galaxy S III 4G Pre-Orders Open
Australian 4G Frequencies Explained [Updated]

If you’ve seen a Samsung Galaxy S III before, you won’t exactly be stunned about the design of this one.

The only notable differences are the letters “LTE” embossed on the back in white and the glowing 4G logo displayed adjacent to the coverage bars if you’re in a relevant coverage area. That LTE logo won’t be there on the final model, though. Samsung and Optus tell us that instead it’ll be replaced with a shiny 4G logo.

Despite the fact that we couldn’t do speed tests on the actual device (it’s still a pre-production unit loaded with Optus security and testing software), we already know the rough speeds of Optus’ 4G network (in the Sydney CBD) thanks to the Huawei-made 4G Wi-Fi hotspot we’re testing.

Here’s a quick comparison of Telstra and Optus speeds:

We’re still testing with the device, but initial reports show that the network is strong.

The S III we tested was also preloaded with Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean, which makes scrolling around and using the device a dream. Optus has confirmed that the device will ship with 4.1.1 Jelly Bean.

Pre-orders for the Galaxy S III 4G are now being taken on Optus’ website and at Samsung’s Experience Store in Sydney. See the charts below for Optus’ pricing plans.

Right now, it doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense to buy (or pre-order at this point) one of these unless you’re in a 4G-supported city. Right now, that’s Sydney, Newcastle and Perth. Melbourne is coming on September 15 and Brisbane and the Gold Coast will be rolled-out around December-January time, with cities like Adelaide to come mid-next year.

It’s great that Optus have gone with a strong handset out of the gate and we’re likely to see more strong releases soon. We’ll have more for you on it when it’s a final unit.



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Update: We’ve now got the hardware specs from Optus.

Network LTE (4G) 1800/2600 MHz WCDMA (3G) 850/900/2100 MHz GSM (2G) 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Display 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED (1280×720) display
OS Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
Rear Camera Main (Rear) Camera: 8 Mega pixel Auto Focus camera with Flash & Zero Shutter Lag, 1080pHD video
Front Camera 1.9 megapixel
Video MPEG4, H.264, H.263, DivX
Audio MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, WMA, OGG, FLAC, AC3, apt-X
Connectivity 802.11 a/b/g/n; GPS/GLONASS; NFC and S Beam9; Bluetooth® 4.0; USB 2.0 Highspeed; Samsung Kies and Samsung Kies via WiFi
Sensor Accelerometer, RGB light, Digital compass, Proximity, Gyro, Barometer
Memory 16/32GB User memory + microSD slot (up to 64GB, sold separately)
Dimension 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm, 133g
Battery 2,100 mAh

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