Samsung unveils smaller, cheaper Galaxy S III

Samsung Electronics Co. has unveiled a smaller and cheaper version of the Galaxy S III smartphone with the same screen size as the iPhone 5.

Samsung says the Galaxy S III mini features a screen measuring 4 inches diagonally, smaller than the Galaxy S III's 4.8 inch display but the same as Apple's iPhone 5, which was Apple's first upgrade of the iPhone screen size.

Samsung said the mini will be launched in Europe later this month but kept mum on schedules for other countries.

Samsung's German mobile shop lists the mini's price at 399 euros ($516) versus 550 euros ($711) for the cheapest S III.

The mini is powered by the latest version of Android software but does not support faster fourth-generation wireless networks.

Samsung Galaxy S4 March 2013 release to beat iPhone 5s

Put yourself in Samsung’s shoes.

You’ve just lost more than $1 billion in a very public patent trial. Your shining star, the Galaxy S III, was just blown out of the water by a brand new iPhone — Apple sold 2 million iPhone 5 units in 24 hours, whereas you are at a pace to sell 200,000 every 24 hours. And now you’re scraping to steer people away from the new iPhone and toward your flagship, even with entirely misleading ads (like the one below).

Quick! What do you do?

Leak the Samsung Galaxy S IV announcement date, of course!

According to the Korea Times, an anonymous Samsung official told the media that the Samsung Galaxy S IV, the Korean company’s next flagship, would be announced at Mobile World Congress in February, with a global release date in March.

This news came out three days after the launch of the iPhone 5.

Coincidence?

Clearly the South Korean electronics giant has something to be scared of. Just take a good look at this ad. Notice anything strange? All of Samsung’s software features are listed, but not one of the iPhone 5 software features are present, except for Siri. And even then, the specs themselves are misleading. Samsung may have more pixels, but that’s because there’s almost an extra inch to the display of the Galaxy S III. But in terms of actual pixel density (the true marker of a great display), Apple’s Retina display has Sammy beat by 20 pixels per inch.



Apple must run "Samsung did not copy iPad" ads: report

LONDON (Reuters) - Apple has been instructed by a British judge to run ads saying that Samsung did not copy its design for the iPad in the latest twist in the ongoing patent battles between the two tech giants, according to Bloomberg.

Judge Birss, who ruled last week that Samsung did not infringe Apple's designs because its Galaxy Tab tablets were not "as cool" as the U.S. company's iPad, said Apple should publish a notice on its website and in British newspapers to correct any impression that the South Korean company copied Apple, Bloomberg said.

The notice, which is in effect an advertisement for Samsung, should remain on Apple's website for at least six months, the report said.

The judge, however, rejected Samsung's request that Apple be forbidden from continuing to claim that its design rights had been infringed, saying that Apple was entitled to hold the opinion, the news agency said.

Samsung said in a statement after the hearing: "Should Apple continue to make excessive legal claims based on such generic designs, innovation in the industry could be harmed and consumer choice unduly limited."

Apple declined to comment on Judge Birss's instruction.

-Source Reuters