Looks like I spoke too soon in my previous article Trend towards Dual-SIM Smartphones developing in Jamaica as MNP Approaches on the coming trend of Dual-SIM (Subscriber Identification Module). Come this May 2013, Samsung is officially taking a stab at this market with the Dual-SIM Samsung Galaxy Core, pictured below:
This Low-budget Dual-SIM beauty’s packing some very advance feature that you’d expect to find on the recently released Samsung Galaxy S IV, such as Gesture Commands and dimming when you look away for the phone. Personally, being as I have an Apple iPhone bias, these features are gimmicky at best, owing to the fact that you’ll never really use them all the time.
But the fact that the phone is Dual-SIM and can switch between SIM Cards without having to restart the phone to get access to the other SIM, along with its Gesture Commands makes it a phone to covet, when it goes live.
Hardware
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Processor: 1.2 GHz dual-core processor
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OS: Android 4.1 aka Jelly Bean
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Screen: 4.3-inch WVGA (480×800 pixel) screen
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Rear Facing Camera: 5-megapixel camera
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Front Facing Camera: VGA camera
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Memory: 1GB of memory
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Internal Storage: 8GB of internal storage with 64GB card capable MicroSD slot
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Battery: 1,800 MAh
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Pre-loaded software: Samsung Hub, Apps and Kies for smartphone migration
Features
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Smart Stay dims screen when you look away
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Smart Alert notifies you of missed calls when you access the phone
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S Voice allows user to control the phone using voice commands
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Samsung’s Motion UI uses gesture commands to control the phone
I love this phone already, albeit Samsung’s cagey about its availability in the US (or wherever) and its costs. But the mere fact it’s Dual-SIM, which is what caught my eye, suggests that this may be a follow on to the Samsung Galaxy Y Duos and Samsung Galaxy Y Pro Duos, both of which are Dual-SIM’s and geared at a more youthful market new to smartphones.
Clearly Samsung’s aiming at the Developing World, not the US, where 4G LTE Networks are slowly being deployed, thus precipitating the trend of smartphones outselling Feature phones since March 2013 according to analyst IDC. All bets are on for the Samsung Galaxy Core to be offered contract-free (like duh-uh, Dual-DIM’s can’t be contract!) at a price below US$199, again based on the research of ABI Research.
So who wants the Samsung Galaxy Core? Everyone looking to have the Best of Both Telecom Provider Worlds at a low-price of US$199! Stay tuned for an update review.