Today's Samsung event unveiled a miniature version of their popular flagship phone, the Galaxy S3. The smartphone isn't exactly just a smaller version of the Galaxy S3 - it has different specs and will appeal to a different consumer, so here's a side-by-side comparison of the two Galaxy S3s.
The Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini comes with a 4-inch Super AMOLED display that puts out a resolution of 480X800 pixels. It will come with a dual-core 1GHz processor, and be running Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean which introduces Project Butter and a voice-assistant named Google Now.
Samsung's Galaxy S3 has a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 720X1280. The international variants come with a 1.4GHz quad-core processor and the U.S. version sports a 1.5GHz dual-core processor. The Galaxy S3 currently runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, but the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update has already started releasing internationally in a few countries.
The Galaxy S3 Mini will come with weaker camera options, sporting a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and a VGA front cam. The Galaxy S3, on the other hand, comes with an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera.
Carrier wise, there's no word on the Galaxy S3 Mini. In fact, the current Galaxy S3 Mini might not come to the United States for a while due to connectivity issues, according to CNET. The Galaxy S3 is now available on six carriers in the United States: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, U.S. Cellular, and C-Spire.
The Galaxy S3 Mini's suggested price is around €400, or $520. The Galaxy S3 varies depending on the version, but Amazon has unlocked Galaxy S3s running for around $580.
The Galaxy S3's main appeal will be its size. You sacrifice some specs, but for some, a 4.8-inch display is just a bit too big, and in an Android lineup where screen size seems to increase with every generation, this phone offers a great new option for consumers who are looking for an easy-to-use, not-too-big Android phone.