Samsung unveils new Galaxy phone

Samsung Electronics today unveiled a new top-of-the-range Galaxy S3 smartphone model that updates the most direct rival to Apple's iPhone with a larger touch screen and more powerful processor.

Samsung's latest Galaxy device promises a more "human" smartphone as Apple’s closest rival unveiled a more powerful version of its Galaxy phone that comes with a bigger screen, better battery and a host of new features that are designed to help users interact with the phone better.

“It’s more than just smart,” said Jean-Daniel Ayme, vice president of European Telecom Operations at Samsung. “It’s a phone that sees, a phone that listens, a phone that responds to our intentions. That's the magic and promise of the Galaxy S3.”

At the top of the list was "Smart Stay", which uses the 1.9 megapixel front-facing camera to track your eye movement so it knows when users are looking right at the screen and keeps it active. Only when users look away from the phone or close their eyes will it turn off.

The smartphone also has an eight-megapixel camera on the rear.

Also causing a stir was the integrated voice control, which can be used for everything from controlling your music to starting up an app. Like rival Apple's Siri, it can search for information, and organise a schedule, but users do not have to touch the phone to activate the voice control feature - the phone allows them to set some customised commands that will make the phone respond to their voice.

President and head of Samsung’s IT and mobile communications division JK Shin addressed some of the rumours that had spread ahead of the phone’s launch, saying that some had missed the mark. "Put simply, it’s a human phone that understands you," he said.

The quad-core S3, which has Android's latest operating system Ice Cream Sandwich, boosted the display to a 4.8-inch high-definition screen, 22 per cent larger than its predecessor, and increased the device's battery life.

The phone will be available in a 3G version on May 29th in Europe, with a 4G LTE version due over the summer.

Samsung has gradually clawed its way to the top of the smartphone market. In the last quarter, it sold about 20,000 Galaxy smartphones an hour.

The South Korean technology group, which overtook Finnish company Nokia as the world's biggest cellphone maker earlier this year, reported a record $5.2 billion (€3.9 billion) quarterly profit, boosted by Galaxy S2 smartphones whose sales outstripped the iPhone.

Samsung's handset division moved more than 20,000 Galaxy phones an hour in the first quarter and contributed most of its operating profit.

Analysts said the new device represented a formidable challenge to rivals, given a combination of the Galaxy brand, sales support from operators and heavy marketing.

"Samsung must make the most of a four-five month window of opportunity with the Galaxy S3 before Apple changes the game once more with its next generation iPhone," said Geoff Blaber, analyst at CCS Insight.

"Supported by an eye-watering marketing spend aligned to Samsung's Olympics sponsorship, this is going to be the biggest non-Apple smartphone launch ever seen."

Samsung shares hit a lifetime high after its first-quarter results, pushing its market value to $190 billion, 11 times that of Japanese rival Sony, though still only a third of Apple's, the world's most valuable company.

Apple and Samsung's near duopoly in high-end smartphones was not expected to come under threat this year or next.Nokia, whose shares are at a 15-year low is betting on a tie-up with Microsoft to revive its fortunes in the lucrative smartphone market.

Reuters