The Samsung Galaxy S III is the third iteration of Samsung’s highly successful Galaxy S and is currently the most popular smartphone available anywhere in terms of sales. After nearly 3 months on store shelves across the world, Samsung has already sold over 10 million units. And no doubt it's going to sell millions more, mainly because of the phone’s outstanding hardware and software features that make it a cut above the vast majority of the handsets offered by the competition.
The III’s highlights in terms of hardware include a 4.8-inch 720p HD Super AMOLED touchscreen display that’s covered with a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 2, an 8-megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash and 1080p video recording capability, plus a 1.4 GHz quad-core Cortex A9 processor with 1GB of RAM. All of this, along with many other hardware niceties such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and HSDPA data, makes it one of the most powerful and feature-rich Android smartphones ever.
Speaking of Android, the Samsung Galaxy S III comes with version 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich pre-installed, and a free update to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is already in the pipeline. This should make it one of the first handsets on the market to run the latest version of the Android software. It also has a bunch of noteworthy software features like S-Voice, which takes a user’s voice commands then executes the necessary actions, and Dropbox integration, which gives users 50GB of free online storage space for backup. For most people, though, the best feature of the Samsung Galaxy S III software-wise is its built-in support for the world’s most popular social networking sites and Google services.
There’s a 2100mAh battery located underneath the Samsung Galaxy S III’s back over, which is said to be good for up to 12 hours of 3G talk time. That’s an impressive feat considering the fact that the overall thickness of the handset checks in at just 9mm. Whether or not you are a fan of Samsung’s design or manufacturing philosophies, it’s hard to deny that they’ve made a darn good phone with the Galaxy S III.
Need To Know: Samsung Galaxy S III
1. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is pre-installed as standard and a free upgrade to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is on the way. (The Good)
2. The 4.8-inch 720x1280 pixel resolution Super AMOLED touchscreen display is among the best in its class and provides excellent picture quality. (The Good)
3. The lack of support for 4G LTE networks is something that users in certain areas will surely miss. (The Bad)
4. An otherwise expansive built-in display is considered by some users as entirely too big and makes the phone somewhat difficult to operate in that it requires both hands to use. (The Bad)
What the Critics Are Saying...
- TT Gadget Editor, TelecomTigerWith a large number of excellent features and functions, Samsung Galaxy S3 has set a benchmark for its close competitors - HTC One X and Apple. The only advantage HTC One X has over Galaxy S3 is its better screen resolution. The 1.5 dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and 1 GB RAM has worked wel...
- Ian Morris, Pocket-lintFor those of us outside the 4G coverage area, there's almost no point getting this phone at all, although it does have a good range of 4G frequencies, so you should see support for other UK networks when they launch 4G services. When they're on top form, in central London or the other cities the 4G...
- Taylor Martin, PhonedogThere is no questioning the quality of the Galaxy S III. Top to bottom, it is a fantastic device. And while many would rather see Samsung begin to transition away from using an excess of plastic to something a little more classy and of higher quality, the S III holds it own, despite its frail-feelin...
- Juan, Sprint UsersThis phone is definitely one I will keep for a while. I feel very comfortable using it and showing it off. It's just a sweet device. It looks great and behaves professionally. If you're in the market for an Android device, this is the one. It's worth the wait.
- Kelly Hodgkins, IntoMobileThe Samsung Galaxy S III is an impressive phone. The screen is lovely and the phone is full of software features that'll make your head spin. The camera is great and rivals that of the iPhone 4S. From a hardware-only perspective, it is the best Android phone Sprint has to offer at this time. It sur...
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Samsung Galaxy S III user manual here.
Samsung backs up the Galaxy S III with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Galaxy S III has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Samsung support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Samsung's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
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