Samsung Galaxy Mega Release Date in the U.S.: AT&T First, Then Others Soon

The latest phablet that Samsung is adding to its vast lineup of devices big and small just got a release date for the U.S. Starting this Friday, Aug. 23, AT&T customers will be able to get their hands on the South Korean device-maker's huge smartphone, with a few other carriers in the U.S. following suit soon after.

AT&T is having a good day. On one hand, the HTC One mini was announced Monday as being an AT&T exclusive, with a release date of Friday, Aug. 23, and on the other, there's the Samsung Galaxy Mega, which is coming to AT&T first (in the U.S.) on Friday as well. The carrier will offer the Samsung Galaxy Mega for $24 per month with the AT&T Next plan. AT&T Next is the company's new plan for customers who want to get a new smartphone or tablets every year.

People who plan on keeping their Samsung Galaxy Megas for longer can get the huge-screened device for $149.99 with the standard two-year contract from AT&T.

"Continuing our legacy as the first carrier to launch Samsung's Galaxy series, we're excited to expand our growing line of Galaxy smartphones with the Galaxy Mega," said Jeff Bradley, the senior vice president of devices at AT&T. "Images and web content come alive on the large display, making it easy to stay productive and entertained almost anywhere, all on the nation's fastest and now most reliable 4G LTE network."

The Samsung Galaxy Mega comes with a massive 6.3-inch display. Its screen size is only dwarfed (in the phablet range) by the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, and that's only by 0.1-inches. The device's screen has a HD Super Clear LCD that has a top resolution of 720 x 1280p with wide viewing angles, according to Samsung, which allow for showcasing magazines, ebooks, photos, or even PowerPoint presentations. Samsung's new phablet runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean right out of the box, and is powered by a 1.7GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 CPU with an Adreno 305 GPU and 1.5GB of RAM assisting.

The internal storage of the device is a little scant at 8GB or 16GB, but as this is more likely to be a media-viewing device, the Galaxy Mega's 64GB of microSD expansion should cover the storage needs for any user. The phablet is powered by a large removable 3,200 mAh battery.

Of course, with any new Samsung Galaxy device, you get the Samsung UI and software extras. The Samsung Galaxy Mega will have Air View, Multi Window, WatchON, which takes advantage of the Mega's IR blaster, and Easy Mode, which is designed to make a first-time smartphone user comfortable with the new device, simplifying the home screen, camera, calendar, messaging and Internet browser for simpler navigation.

The device comes with an 8-megapixel shooter, which is a mid-range camera nowadays, but then again the Galaxy Mega is pretty cheap for having such a large screen. The camera comes with Beauty Face, Best Photo, Panorama and other Samsung-specific software that you'd find on the Galaxy S4.

If you're not an AT&T customer, look for the Samsung Galaxy Mega to be launched sometime before the end of the year by Sprint and U.S. Cellular, according to CNET. However, no specific release date has been given by either carrier, so stay with Latinos Post Tech for more updates as they come along.