The Galaxy S III is the device Samsung is expected to announce. Whether or not it is also a device for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games remains to be seen, but chances are that it is. What will the device offer?
Based on all the clues spread across the Internet, the device will likely be an upgrade to the existing model, but not a huge leap forward. A potential spec sheet might include a 4.6-inch Super AMOLED display with a very high pixel density, dual-core or quad-core Samsung Exynos processor, and an 8-megapixel camera all wrapped in a thinner package than the previous generation.
It will run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, of course, and will likely be bestowed with Samsung's TouchWiz user interface. Other possibilities include ceramic materials, near-field communications, and 4G of some flavor. Samsung has played its hand very close to the chest. In fact, it has taken great lengths to keep the details of this device a secret.
[ Mobility has produced sweeping changes in how we work, live, and play. Read Don't Be Late For The Mobile Revolution. ]
A CNET report suggests that there's a new tablet on tap for May 3, too. Citing sources familiar with Samsung's plans, the company will show off a tablet with a 10.1-inch display. What's not clear is if this will be a 100% brand new tablet, a spec'd up version of an existing tablet, or simply a reskinned Tab 2 (10.1). CNET's source was pretty light on details.
If Samsung is indeed going to show off a tablet, I'd bet money on a significant tie-in with the new smartphone. Maybe they'll both be branded for the Olympics, or share features, or have some interactivity powers that haven't yet appeared on other devices.
Another possibility for Samsung's May 3 big reveal includes an Apple iCloud competitor, potentially bearing the name "S-Cloud." (Ugh, so original.) Samsung has already sort of said that it's working on some type of cloud service. Earlier this year, Samsung said it had an upgrade for its existing AllShare service in the works, and the upgrade would include a cloud-based storage component.
There's a least a little bit of credibility to this theory.
The cloud service will probably offer a minimum of 5 GB of online storage which can be used for music, photo, video, and other files. SlashGear reports that Samsung is working with Microsoft on this service, and may incorporate Microsoft's SkyDrive. The cloud service would also offer some type of video-on-demand content.
When you add all these factors together, it makes for a more compelling story than just a single phone does. From my perspective, it makes sense for Samsung to offer up a smartphone-tablet-cloud trio, like the one described above, at a global launch event. The company has held back on new phones for much of the year and needs to get its flagship device to market sooner rather than later. Adding a tablet and cloud-based service only sweeten the deal.
IT's challenge in dealing with social networks comes on two fronts: How to interact with would-be customers on big social networks like Facebook, and how to provide employees on internal networks with collaboration that's as powerful as their Facebook experiences. This virtual event, Social Business: Marshaling Expertise, Engaging Customers, Building Brands, will help IT leaders sort through their strategic choices. It happens April 26.
.svg)
.svg)
