The Galaxy S3 smartphone was such a success for Samsung, that the South Korean company decided to release a smaller, mid-range iteration named the Galaxy S3 Mini back in October. U.S. consumers were left out of the loop - until now. The Galaxy S3 Mini is coming to the United States via carrier U.S. Cellular and the moniker 'Galaxy Axiom.'
The Galaxy Axiom is already available for purchase through U.S. Cellular's online store, despite there having been no announcement from either Samsung or U.S. Cellular.
The 4GB Galaxy Axiom costs a mere 1 cent with a two-year contract through U.S. Cellular. Without any contract, U.S. Cellular is asking a price of $399.99.
Critics downplayed the Galaxy S3 Mini after its initial hype phase due to its lackluster specs. The Galaxy Axiom retains the same design as the Galaxy S3 Mini, but seems to be a little more powerful, and can even take advantage of 4G LTE.
The Samsung Galaxy Axiom comes with a 4-inch display and a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. The handset also features a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera. The only downside versus the Galaxy S3 Mini seems to be that the Galaxy Axiom runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, while the Galaxy S3 Mini runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
The Galaxy Axiom shouldn't be first on anyone's wish list, especially when U.S. Cellular offers the more robust Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 handsets. But for budget-minded shoppers who still want a slick-looking device, the Galaxy Axiom is a great mid-range option that can deliver the capabilities of Android and LTE.
Does the Galaxy Axiom have you excited? If you pick one up, let us know what you think in the comments below.
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