Samsung Unveils Latest Galaxy Rival To iPhone

Samsung Electronics unveiled a new top-of-the-range Galaxy smartphone in London on Thursday, updating the most direct rival to Apple’s iPhone with a larger touch screen and more powerful processor.
The South Korean technology group, which overtook Finnish company Nokia as the world’s biggest cellphone maker earlier this year, said the new Galaxy SIII model would go on sale in some markets in late May and around the world from June.
Last week, Samsung reported a record $5.2 billion quarterly profit, boosted by Galaxy smartphone range whose sales outstripped the iPhone.
Samsung sold around 45 million smartphones in the first quarter and contributed most of its operating profit.
The new Galaxy SIII model will have a 4.8 inch touch screen, 8 megapixel camera and will use the latest version of Google’s Android software.
Analysts said the expected massive marketing campaign and features of the handset – billed as the official smartphone of the London 2012 Olympics- were likely enough to generate strong sales, but the launch left many of them unexcited.
“It is not an eye-catching device that will overwhelm consumers,” said IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo.