Apple gets a lot of heat for coming out with just one phone every 12 months, but it’s a strategy that has served them well when it comes to offering customers a portfolio of devices. If money is no object, simply buy the newest iPhone. If you want a “midrange” iPhone, get last year’s model. And if you’re really broke, but still want in on some iOS action, buy the two year old iPhone. Samsung is roughly doing the same thing with the Galaxy S III and the Galaxy S II. The former retails for roughly 550 Euros depending on which country you’re in, while the latter is nearly 200 Euros cheaper.
Rumor has it that during the fourth quarter of this year Samsung is going to release two devices that will further expand the Galaxy S family of smartphones. First up is the Galaxy S II Plus. As you can see from the photos above, it’s basically the Galaxy S III from the front, but with that famous Galaxy S II bump on the back. Spec wise you can expect a 1.5 GHz dual core Exynos chip, 1 GB of RAM, 4.5 inch screen, and an 8 megapixel camera. If we had to make a bet, we’d say that the 1.5 GHz chip inside is the new 32 nanometer Exynos 4 Dual, which is essentially a shrunken down and overclocked version of the 45 nanometer Exynos 4 Dual that was in the Galaxy S II.
Next up is the Galaxy S III Mini. We don’t have any photos of the device, but here’s the alleged spec sheet: dual core processor, 5 megapixel camera, 4 inch screen. According to The Droid Guy, the Galaxy S III Mini will cost roughly $200 while the Galaxy S II Plus will cost around $350.
We should know more about these devices, should they even exist, in a couple of months.