Samsung Galaxy S series shipments surpass 100 million

It's no secret that Samsung's Galaxy S series of smartphones has been a game changer, for the company as well as for Android smartphones in general. Now the series has reached a new landmark, with the total worldwide shipments exceeding 100 million units since the first Galaxy S device shipped two and a half years ago.

The Galaxy S III has been the biggest and fastest contributor so far, with 40 million shipments coming in the first seven months after launch and currently shipping close to 190,000 units every day. The venerable Galaxy S II, which has been around for almost two years now, has managed to ship 40 million units in 20 months.

With people now eagerly looking forward to the next flagship in the series, we don't see the popularity of the Galaxy S brand waning any time soon.

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Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II Plus preview: First look

GSMArena team, 11 January 2013.

It's not the end of the road just yet for the Galaxy S III but it would do well to prepare to pass the torch on. Yet, while the current flagship is coming to terms with mortality, Samsung obviously believes there's still fight left in the old Galaxy S II. The company just unveiled a revamped version of its ex-Number One to take advantage of the software goodies introduced by the Galaxy S III.

Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II Plus official images

The Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II Plus has borrowed the finish of the Galaxy S III and is powered by a new chipset with a Broadcomm GPU. It's not a sea change by any means, but no wonders are expected of the Plus version really. All it tries to do is freshen up a proven formula and help Samsung tighten its grip on the midrange.

General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 MHz, HSDPA 21 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps Form factor: Touchscreen bar phone Dimensions: 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.5 mm, 121 g Display: 4.3" 16M-color WVGA (480 x 800 pixels) Super AMOLED Plus capacitive touchscreen, Gorilla Glass, CPU: Dual-core ARM Cortex A9 1.2 GHz processor GPU: Broadcomm VideoCore IV RAM: 1GB OS: Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) Memory: 8GB storage, microSD card slot Camera: 8 megapixel auto-focus camera with face detection, touch focus and image stabilization; Full HD (1080p) video recording at 30fps, LED flash, front facing camera, video-calls Connectivity: Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth 3.0+HS, MHL-enabled standard microUSB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS, 3.5mm audio jack, FM radio, USB-on-the-go, NFC (I9105P) Misc: TouchWiz 5.0 Nature UX, DivX/XviD codec support, built-in accelerometer, multi-touch input, proximity sensor, gyroscope sensor

With FullHD screens popping left and right, and quad-core Cortex-A15's, a WVGA Super AMOLED Plus and the dual-core CPU are hardly a geek's wet dream. However, having run a leaked JB test ROM on the original Galaxy S II for a while now, we can confirm that it's a setup that works fine under Jelly Bean, delivering a pretty solid smartphone experience. Probably not one you will crave, but certainly one you wouldn't mind spending your money on.

What will be a bit harder for the Samsung Galaxy S II Plus is convince us that it's worth picking over the original. Perhaps the Koreans simply plan on finally retiring their 2011 flagship and replacing it with the new model, which is obviously in line with their new design language.

  
The Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II at ours

Or perhaps the new chipset and finish have helped Samsung lower the production cost and price the Galaxy S II Plus more competitively than the original version.

Anyway, while the price tag is of utmost importance to users, these are just speculations at this point. So, let's try and focus on how well the changes work, and what kind of performance the Galaxy S II Plus can provide.

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Jelly Bean-running Samsung Galaxy S II Plus announced

The Galaxy S II was a big seller for Samsung and it lives on in 2013 with a brand new variant - the Samsung Galaxy S II Plus. Just like the Galaxy S Plus last year, the S II Plus launches with a revamped design, updated OS and new chipset.

The Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II Plus runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean with Nature UX and is powered by a chipset with a dual-core Cortex-A9 processor clocked at 1.2GHz, a Broadcomm GPU and 1GB of RAM. It packs the same 4.3" WVGA Super AMOLED Plus screen as the original Galaxy S II.

 
Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II Plus official images

Other things are the same as well - 8MP main camera with 1080p video recording (but with promised zero shutter lag), 2MP secondary camera, 3G with 21Mbps HSPA+, dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0+HS. Built-in storage has been cut down to 8GB, but the microSD card slot remains.

There's optional NFC too - the I9105 S II Plus without it is 8.5mm thick while the NFC-enabled I9105P is a hair thicker at 8.9mm. The other dimensions are 125.3 x 66.1 regardless of model, that's the same as the original. At 121g it's a bit heavier though (the classic Galaxy S II is 116g). The battery is the same at 1650mAh capacity.

What has changed is the exterior - it now uses the same hyperglazed plastic as the Samsung Galaxy S III and is available in Chic White and Dark Blue.

We have hands-on photos of the Blue version. Check out our gallery if you want to see more.

   
Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II Plus live photos

While the Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II will pack the latest Nature UX features like Smart Stay and Page Buddy, the original I9100 Galaxy S II will be getting Jelly Bean soon with most of the same features. Then there's the I9100G Galaxy S II model, which uses a TI OMAP chipset instead.

There's no launch date or pricing info on the Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II Plus yet.

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Samsung announces Exynos 5 Octa, an A15 and A7 hybrid SoC

 

Samsung isn't done with CES 2013. We just got the company's latest and without a doubt most exiting announcement yet - the Exynos 5 Octa chipset.

It brings 8 processor cores, which distribute the work load among each other. Four Cortex-A15 cores ensure incredible performance while the other four are low-power Cortex-A7s that kick in for the less demanding tasks and save battery power.

The chipset is based on ARM's big.LITTLE tech, which ensures that you will always get enough performance without having to deal with terrible battery life.

Samsung promises up to 70% lower power consumption compared to the Exynos 5 Dual, which is powering the Google Nexus 10 tablet and the latest Chromebook by Samsung.

The Exynos 5 Octa could posses as much as twice the 3D rendering prowess of the Exynos 4 Quad, which is found in the Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III.

There's no official word yet on which devices are going to use the new Exynos 5 Octa or when but we suppose the next Galaxy S and Note devices are a safe guess.

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Samsung Galaxy S III mini officially gets four new colors

A few days ago there was info that the Samsung Galaxy S III mini will be getting new colors and today it's official. The new colors are Garnet Red, Onyx Black, Titan Gray, and Amber Brown (which the earlier info missed). That's in addition to the original Ceramic White and Pebble Blue.

With these new colors, the Galaxy S III mini has the same color options as the full size S III (well, except for the La Fleur special edition).

The new colors are available only on the French Samsung site for now, they are not available in the UK, Spanish or German sites, for example. The Taiwanese site (the original info came from Taiwan) has a picture of the Garnet Red version, but there's no trace of the others.

We suspect it will take a bit until Samsung updates all its sites and then a while longer before the new color versions of the Samsung Galaxy S III mini become available in stores.

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Samsung announces a beefed up Galaxy S III for Japan

Today NTT DoCoMo announced the upcoming availability of a few smartphones including Samsung?s Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II.

You?ve probably heard all there is to know about those two, but NTT DoCoMo?s version of the Galaxy S III, called Alpha, will be slightly different. Its chipset is pretty much the same as the international version of the Galaxy Note II - with the quad-core processor has been clocked on 1.6GHz instead of 1.4GHz and 2GB of RAM.

The faster CPU speed should help turn an already impressively fast smartphone into a real beast. What's even better, the Japanese Galaxy S III will run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean at launch.

Samsung Galaxy S III Alpha will be sold in Titanium Gray and Sapphire Black and will launch in December.

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4-inch Samsung Galaxy S III mini officially unveiled

No, we didn?t scale the images wrong, it's the new Samsung I8190 Galaxy S III mini that was just announced in Germany. Brought on by an increasing demand for 4" droids with good specs, the S III mini wants to please people who find the 4.8" screen of its big brother to be just too big.

Bearing the S III title, the mini has the same nature-inspired design as the big S III and the Galaxy Note II. And it will be running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean at launch with the same TouchWiz customizations that its bigger siblings enjoy, like S Voice and Smart Stay.

Samsung Galaxy S III mini official photos

Looks aside, the specs of the I8190 Galaxy S III mini doesn?t quite live up to its flagship-worthy name. The SIII mini has a 4" Super AMOLED screen of WVGA resolution (and a PenTile matrix). Inside is modest ST-Ericsson NovaThor chipset with two Cortex-A9 cores, ticking at 1GHz, 1GB of RAM and a Mali-400 GPU.

The main camera has a 5MP sensor and an LED flash and it's capable of shooting 720p video. There's a VGA front-facing camera too.

The Samsung Galaxy S III mini offers quad-band 2G and tri-band 3G connectivity (with 14.4Mbps HSDPA and 5.76Mbps HSUPA), dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC. The internal storage comes in 8GB or 16GB versions and there's a microSD card slot if you need more.

Basically, the Samsung I8190 Galaxy S III mini is a revamped I9070 Galaxy S Advance with looks to match the Galaxy S III.

  
More Samsung Galaxy S III mini official photos

The dimensions of the phone are 121.6 x 63 x 9.9 mm and it weighs 111.5g and the battery has 1500mAh capacity.

The Samsung Galaxy S III mini is expected to launch in November. If you want to be among the first to get it, Clove UK is already taking pre-orders. The current asking price is ?298 (?370, $480).

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Samsung Galaxy S III vs. Note II: Sizing up

GSMArena team, 12 October 2012.

The Galaxy S III and the Note II are both cut from the same cloth, but one is XL while the other is XXL. What can we say - someone at Samsung must be busy spinning and weaving.

Size matters as it always has but this isn't a choice between slim fit and loose fit. It's the Android experience and it must be the perfect fit - so another close-up look at both may be well worth it. And mind you, this isn't about which one is better - the phone or the phablet - it's about which one looks good on you.

It's hard not to look at the Note II as an oversized Galaxy S III, but a few minutes with the S Pen might convince you otherwise. The bigger screen (with a new Super AMOLED matrix to boot) and overclocked chipset are pretty sweet too.

On the other hand, 4.8" is plenty for a phone and the S III is a root away from the extra clock speed if you're a power-obsessed geek. Plus, while the screen uses a PenTile Super AMOLED matrix, it does handle sunlight better. And styli went out of fashion years ago, right?

We're about to delve into the details, but if we had 10 seconds to summarize the differences between the S III and Note II, here's what we'd tell you.

More compact - 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm vs. 151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4 mmLighter - 133g vs. 183gSame resolution on smaller screen, so higher pixel density - 306ppi vs. 267ppiBetter sunlight legibility Not as expensiveBigger screen - 5.5" vs. 4.8"New display matrix with a full array of subpixelsSlightly brighter screenS Pen and Wacom digitizerFaster CPU (1.6GHz vs. 1.4GHz) and faster GPUAll models have 2GB of RAM, while the international S III has only 1GB (US and LTE versions have 2GB)Split-screen interface, other niceties like Page BuddyLonger battery life

While mobile devices are typically good at content consumption but not creation, Samsung is trying to break that barrier with the S Pen. The split-screen interface also promises improved productivity.

Still, the Galaxy S III is lighter on the pocket (in both the physical and monetary sense) and is pretty much the same device in terms of software and hardware (sans the S Pen).

   
Samsung Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II

Here's the roadmap for this comparison - we start off with the hardware, including the screen and battery life, then we move on to software and benchmarks, compare the cameras and finish off with the audio quality. Press next to begin.

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Samsung Galaxy S III mini preview: First look

GSMArena team, 11 October 2012.

The Samsung I8190 Galaxy S III mini is like a nostalgic return to the roots for the highly successful Galaxy S franchise. Quite similar to the original Galaxy S specs-wise, the new SIII mini aims to get as much of the Galaxy S III's personality into a smaller package that's easy on the thumb - and pocket.

The original Samsung Galaxy S III is currently the smartphone to beat, but to many it's too large of a slab to handle. A strong point can be made that a large screen is a must for a great browsing experience or video watching on the go, but not everyone is willing to put up a with the body size such a screen implies.

    
Samsung Galaxy S III mini official photos

The Galaxy SIII mini is ready to deal a serious blow to the competition in the midrange, by offering a more compact (and cheaper!) way to get the premium smartphone experience. An ambitious goal it is, but Samsung isn't afraid of a challenge.

General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 900/2100 MHz, HSDPA 14.4 MbpsForm factor: Touchscreen bar Dimensions: 121.55 x 63 x 9.85 mm, 111.5 gDisplay: 4" 16M-color WVGA (480 x 800 pixels) Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreenChipset: 1GHz dual-core processor, Mali-400MP GPU, 1GB RAMOS: Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean); TouchWiz UXMemory: 16 GB of inbuilt storage, microSD card slot (up to 32 GB)Camera: 5 megapixel auto-focus, face and smile detection; 720p (1280 x 720) video recording at 30fps Connectivity: Wi-Fi b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, stereo Bluetooth 4.0, standard microUSB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS and GLONASS, 3.5mm audio jack, stereo FM radio with RDS, NFCMisc: built-in accelerometer, multi-touch input, proximity sensor, Swype text input

Actually, the spec sheet is not even half as exciting as the SIII's. The mini version has the unmistakable styling of the flagship but that's about where it stops. At first glance, it's much closer to the original Galaxy S. In fact, it looks like Samsung is merely publishing a remastered version of their 2010 hit single.

Well, we hate to jump to conclusions. Perhaps, there's more than meets the eye.

  
The Samsung Galaxy S III mini studio shots

We'll only know whether Samsung managed to get enough bang out of the middling specs when we are done with this preview, so let's waste no more time and get going. The hardware inspection starts right after the break.

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Samsung Nexus 10 not arriving until “first half of next year”

If you were hoping for the rumored high-end Nexus 10 tablet this holiday season, get ready to be disappointed. Brooke Crothers of CNET, the same guy that said Samsung would produce the Nexus 10, is now reporting the tablet is “expected in the first half of next year.”

We don’t know what the hold up is, but it could be the next generation display or processor. The Nexus 10 is rumored to include a 2,560 x 1,600 display and Samsung’s Exynos 5 (ARM Cortex-A15) processor. Both of these components have been shown off since early this year, but Samsung could have run into issues producing either part in volume.

Thankfully we should still have a full lineup of new entry-level and mid-range Nexus tablets, but it looks like we will have to wait for next year to experience a high-end, 10-inch model that can compete with the new iPad.

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Samsung Galaxy Nexus US injunction gets reversed

The injunction banning the sale of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in the United States has been reversed by US appeals court. According to the decision, Apple could not present sufficient evidence, relating consumer demand for the Android smartphone to its universal search patent.

The injunction, banning the sale of the device was awarded to Apple back in June. The patent case itself was initiated in February.
Here goes Samsung's official statement on the matter:

"We welcome this reversal by the Federal Circuit, finding that the District Court abused its discretion in ordering a preliminary injunction against the Galaxy Nexus. Today's decision confirms that the role of patent law is to protect innovation and not to unreasonably stifle competition and restrict consumer choice. We will continue to take all appropriate measures to ensure the availability of our innovative products."

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Android ICS 4.0.4 for the Samsung Galaxy Note now seeding

Samsung is working hard this summer. It already started rolling out the ICS updates for its Galaxy Tab lineup and the Galaxy S II, but it seems the phoneblet inbetween hasn't been forgotten either.
Right after seeding the 4.0 ICS update for the AT&T's Galaxy Note, Samsung released Android 4.0.4 update for the international Galaxy Note. It is available both via Kies and as an OTA download.
In addition to fixing a number of bugs and issues the 4.0.4 version adds a few cool new features such as signature unlock and Pop up play. There are also several changes to the UI and icons and a reported performance bump.
Currently the update is available in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. Other regions should join this list in the following days as well.
In case you don?t want to wait, you can get the official image from here and flash it via Odin. Just make sure to check if your device isn't affected by the eMMC bug if you decide to go that way.
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Samsung quietly removes local search from Galaxy S III in the US

By now you may be aware of a certain Galaxy Nexus that was temporarily banned from selling in the US a while ago for infringing upon patents that belong to Apple. One of the patents in question was regarding local search where typing a word shows up matching results from various apps on your device, such as contacts, etc.

Although the trial for the Galaxy Nexus is still going on, Samsung doesn't want to take any risks with its newest flagship phone, the Galaxy S III, which is doing quite well and they intend to keep it that way.
So before Apple could go after the Galaxy S III as well, the Sprint and AT&T versions of the phones have quietly been updated where the offending feature has been removed, along with some other changes. Of course, Samsung must be working on some sort of workaround for the problem but for now, if you updated, the search functionality on your Sprint or AT&T device would be severely limited.
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Samsung and Verizon offer developer edition Galaxy S III

Samsung and Verizon have announced their plans on selling a special developer edition of the Galaxy S III in the US that will come with a bootloader that can be unlocked by the user. The phone will be sold without a contract for $599. Do note that the phone will still be locked to Verizon's network.

As you may be aware by now, the Verizon version of the Galaxy S III is the only one that ships with a locked bootloader. Through this developer edition, those who want the freedom to mess around with their phone and still be on Verizon's network now have an option, albeit an expensive one.
There is no information as to when this version of the phone will be available but it will be sold through Samsung's developer website.
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Samsung plans to unveil the Galaxy Note 2 on August 30

According to the Korean Digital Daily website Samsung is planning to have an Unpacked event for the Galaxy Note 2. It should happen on August 30 - a day before the IFA expo kicks off in Berlin, Germany.
According to the information the event will start at 19:00 (local time, CET) and will be all about the Galaxy Note 2. As the latest rumors have it, the Note?s successor will be powered by a quad-core Exynos chipset, will feature a 13MP camera and will actually be narrower despite the larger, 5.5" screen. Android 4.1 Jelly Bean should be powering the whole thing.
With the original Galaxy Note going official at last year's IFA, it was only logical for its successor to arrive at the same event a year later. Yet, Samsung decided not to bring the Galaxy S III to the MWC earlier this year, so there was always the chance that the Koreans will have a separate event for their other key device as well. It's good this isn't the case, though.
Naturally, we'll be onsite covering the Sasmung Galaxy Note 2 announcement live for you, so make sure to keep an eye on our homepage when the time comes.
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Samsung Galaxy Note plagued by display issues

The Samsung Galaxy Note has been enjoying pretty smooth sailing ever since its launch at the end of last year, but it turns out the device isn't perfectly problem-free. It turns out that the 5.3" phoneblet is plagued by a display issue, which was recently discovered by the XDA community.
The issue consists of black clipping and banding in images and videos, which have dark shadows. According to one Galaxy Note owner, who got in touch with us, the issue is most likely due to a kernel level software glitch or due to poor Gamma calibration on the affected screens.
The following videos demonstrate the issue. Note the blown patches that appear on darker scenes.

We are yet to see an official word from Samsung on the matter as well as information on a potential fix.
You can find more information on the issue as well as a way to check if your Galaxy Note has it over here.
Thanks, Satish, for sending this in!
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AT&T to offers exclusive Garnet Red Samsung Galaxy S III

AT&T gets another exclusivity deal, this time on the Galaxy S III. It will be the only carrier in the world (at least for now) to offer the Garnet Red version of the Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone.

The Garnet Red edition will be available on pre-order from July 15 and it will hit the retail stores two weeks later ? on July 29. The pricing will be the same as the already available Marble White and Pebble Blue versions.
We guess the AT&T exclusivity on this deal won?t last forever and other carriers and regions will probably get it sometime later this year.
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Update: Samsung Galaxy Nexus sales ban lifted by temporary stay on the handset injunction

In an unexpected turn of events, Samsung has been granted a temporary stay on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus injunction which allows the device to be sold until July 12th. Judge Lucy Koh issued the temporary stay  as the courts awaits to hear “Apple’s response.” If you’re a bit confused, you’re not the only one. Details are still vague and it seems no one knows what Apple needs to respond about. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is still listed as “coming soon” on Google Play, but we could see the device reappear on the store before the handset’s Android 4.1 update is in place which is expected to remove the infringing universal search capability from the handset.
Update: We’ve just heard that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is now available on Google Play. While the handset can be purchased, the shipping estimate is listed at 1-2 weeks. It seems Google is still intent on having Android 4.1 installed on the Galaxy Nexus even though Samsung has been granted a temporary stay on the injunction.

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Samsung projects record breaking Q2 profits as HTC profits take a nosedive

The best way to know which handset manufacturers are selling devices like hotcakes is by taking a quick look at their books. HTC and Samsung are the two largest players in the Android world, so its nice when things line up and we get to see their quarterly revenue estimates at the same time.

Samsung is projecting profits for Q2 to come in between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion with total revenue settling in at $40 billion. The profit numbers for Q2 of 2012 could represent an 84% jump from the same quarter in 2011. Unfortunately, HTC’s revenue and profits for Q2 of 2012 don’t come anywhere near Samsung’s projections.

HTC’s unaudited numbers for the quarter show revenue reaching $3.04 billion, a 26.8% drop from last year. HTC’s $247 million in profits took an even bigger hit by falling 57.1% year-over-year. HTC is still sitting with some respectable profits, but we doubt anyone at their headquarters is happy that they are back where they were a little over two years ago.

While there’s a clear difference between Samsung’s growth and HTC contraction, comparing numbers between the two companies doesn’t really give us a clear picture. Samsung is the world larges electronics company that produces a wide range of appliances and home electronics while HTC’s product line is made up by a few dozen smartphones. We’d be interested to see how much of Samsung’s profits are attributed to its mobile division and its smartphone lineup.

Fortunately for us, Samsung and HTC are both making a lot of money. This means we’ll be seeing new Android powered smartphones from them for a long, long time.

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Samsung Galaxy S II receiving the Android 4.0.4 update

A few days ago, we reported that the official Android 4.0.4 for the Galaxy S II has been leaked and was available for download for those could not wait for it to arrive over the air.

Well, if you are one of those who did wait, you will be glad to know that the Android 4.0.4 update is now rolling out over the air for the Galaxy S II. The update brings some performance updates and bug fixes and is only available for the international model for now.

If you have one of these devices then you should check to see if the update is available for download. You will need to connect your phone to Kies to download the update.

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