Samsung to release jumbo-sized Galaxy Mega
Samsung is set to release a new Galaxy model that is part smart phone, part tablet.
This photo provided by AT&T shows the Samsung Galaxy Mega. With a screen measuring 6.3 inches diagonally, the Galaxy Mega is almost as big as a 7-inch iPad Mini. The difference: It makes phone calls.
AP Photo/ AT&T/ File
Samsung’s latest take on the smart phone-tablet hybrid is set to make its debut in the United States, according to a Monday announcement from the company.
The Samsung Galaxy Mega has a 6.3-inch screen with a HD Super Clean LCD display that is supposed to maximize user experience watching TV, prepping PowerPoints, or composing an e-mail. The phone also has a MultiWindow split screen feature that allows users to simultaneously run several apps on one screen.
Samsung’s new "phablet" also includes an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera that promises zero shutter lag and includes an interface with multiple shooting modes. The device runs the Android 4.2.2 – Jelly Bean – operating system and is powered by a 1.7 GHz dual-core CPU and 1.5 GB of internal RAM. Contracts will be available through AT&T, Sprint, and US Cellular, according to CNET.
AT&T is starting sales of the Samsung Mega this Friday. The phone will sell for $149.99 under a standard two-year agreement, or $24 a month under the company’s new installment plan, CNET reported. Other providers are promising later release dates.
Overall, the phone bears similar, though not identical, features with the Samsung Galaxy Note, which has a slightly smaller screen at 5.3 inches.
Nokia is rumored to be releasing a new phablet with a Microsoft Windows operating system. Leaked pictures reportedly from inside a Nokia factory show a 5 or 6 inch Nokia screen, though the company has not confirmed the phone’s existence.
Samsung has had a great deal of success with its Galaxy S3 and S4 models, and the company is currently the leading smart phone supplier in the world. The company has a Sept. 4 reveal planned to launch the new Galaxy Note, and – if the rumors are – a smart watch.