Samsung leaks its Galaxy S successor

THE LINE between smartphone and tablet is getting blurred as Samsung has leaked details about its flagship smartphone for 2011.

A Samsung presentation included a device that will have either a 4.3-inch or 4.5-inch "sAMOLED2" screen and run the Gingerbread release of Google's Android operating system. Aside from mentioning a CPU frequency of 1.2GHz, there is no word about whether the chip is a Hummingbird, the same as found on the firm's Galaxy S smartphone, though the presentation promises that the device will have the ability to record and play back HD 1080p video.

There will be 16GB of storage and an 8MP camera with LED flash to round things off. As this is a Samsung device, the firm promotes its looks, saying it will have an "ultra sleek design".

As for connectivity, there will be support for 14.4Mbps HSDPA and 5.76Mbps HSUPA along with the usual WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth also thrown in.

The size of screen on Samsung's so-called "1st half flagship" device is likely to rekindle the debate on whether 7-inch tablets, such as the firm's own Galaxy Tab, offer enough differentiation from smartphones to merit their extra cost. After all, a smartphone offers the added bonus of being pocketable along with the ability to make phone calls and send text messages.

Apparently Samsung will launch its headline Android device in February 2011, making Mobile World Congress the most likely theatre for the firm to debut the successor to its popular Galaxy S smartphone. µ