Samsung Galaxy S II To Hit UK Next Month

Samsung has reportedly confirmed a 1 May release for its Galaxy S II smartphone, complete with a last minute hardware upgrade and, perhaps, a cheaper price.

Initially slated for a 31 March launch, the Galaxy S II was first introduced to the crowds at Mobile World Congress in February. It was supposed to include a 1 GHz chip, but extra time has been invested in a hardware boost, resulting in the forthcoming smartphone sporting a more powerful 1.2 GHz dual-core ARM-based processor.

According to reports, the second-generation Galaxy S will also benefit from a price cut of £100, dropping from nearly £600 to £499.99 for a SIM-free model. However, this information is yet to be confirmed by the Korean phone maker.

Vivid, fast and slim

Described as “vivid, fast and slim,” the device features a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen that displays up to 800 x 480 pixels, promising enhanced readability and better battery consumption.

Embedded in its 8.49mm body, the powerful dual-core processor offers faster browsing, quicker multi-tasking and highly efficient gaming, according to Samsung. Users can also switch between its 2-Megapixel front facing camera and the 8-Megapixel rear-facing model that supports high-definition video recording.

Poised to be the world’s thinnest smartphone, Samsung’s Galaxy S II weighs as little as 116 grams but provides 16 GB of onboard storage and 1 GB of RAM. It will be powered by Google’s Android 2.3 – codenamed Gingerbread.

The handset’s new features were designed for business use, including secure device management using Sybase Afaria and VPNs. However, the gadget also pleases consumers with access to four major ‘hubs’ for music, e-reading, games and social media.