Any new phones this quarter? vs. S3/Note II

[Zstream]

As the title states, are there any new phones coming in 2013 that will rival the Samsung Galaxy S3 or Note II? My contract is up and I'm debating on the Lumia 920 and the S3/Note II.

I just learned the Lumia 920 doesn't even have the lock orientation capability so that moves it down on the rankings. I'm on tech issues and conference calls at night and I can't stand the bouncing back and forth on my Lumia 900 (which can't be rooted/jailbroken).

[NetGuySC]

Rumor has it that The Note III (with a 6.3" screen and 8-core processor) may be released in June. I believe several other manufacturers are jumping on board the "Phablet" craze this year.

[MrX8503]

There's the Droid DNA. It's a 2012 phone, but its brand new.

Other than that, 2013 should be a phablet frenzy. The 8-core from Samsung, I believe can only use 4 at any one time. The extra 4 is a fallback for efficiency.

[Zstream]

Ack! 6.3 inches? That's way too big for a phone.

Oh, The Samsung Galaxy S3 and Note II have hardware encryption like the iPhone, right?

[NetGuySC]

They're saying that the Note III will be the same physical size as the Note II, basically the bezel will be removed so same sized phone but larger screen. These are just rumors so time will tell.
I don't know about the encryption but it seems that Samsung tries to make their smartphones enterprise friendly, so I would bet so.

[ImDonly1]

Mobile world congress is next month I think. It is when everyone will annouhnce they flagship phone for the year. The galaxy s4, htc new phone, etc. they will probably be released unlocked in April or may.

Otherwise Sony Xperia z or droid DNA.

[gorcorps]

Originally Posted by NetGuySC

Rumor has it that The Note III (with a 6.3" screen and 8-core processor) may be released in June. I believe several other manufacturers are jumping on board the "Phablet" craze this year.

Really? Seems too soon to me... But maybe I just feel that way because I was looking at getting one just a month ago so it seemed new to me.

[dagamer34]

Originally Posted by ImDonly1

Mobile world congress is next month I think. It is when everyone will annouhnce they flagship phone for the year. The galaxy s4, htc new phone, etc. they will probably be released unlocked in April or may.

Otherwise Sony Xperia z or droid DNA.

Galaxy S IV will not be announced at MWC.

[ImDonly1]

Originally Posted by dagamer34

Galaxy S IV will not be announced at MWC.

If not at mwc then it will be announced at a separate Samsung event 2-3 weeks later. That's how it usually is I think.

[silverpig]

BB10 launches in just over a week.

[ultimatebob]

Originally Posted by silverpig

BB10 launches in just over a week.

Sure, but do you really think that's going to complete with the high end Samsung Android phones?

It's kind of like saying that Samsung should be afraid of the new $20 Nokia flip phones coming out this year.

[s44]

Originally Posted by NetGuySC

Rumor has it that The Note III (with a 6.3" screen and 8-core processor) may be released in June.

No chance.

The S4 will be midyear, Note 3 end of the year. As before. It lets Samsung have a spec-bumped product without outdating the recent flagship.

This quarter will bring more Optimus G-style quad-Kraits... carrier availability will be limited in the US though. It will probably be late Q2 before we see the quad A15 Tegra/Exynos designs.

Originally Posted by ImDonly1

If not at mwc then it will be announced at a separate Samsung event 2-3 weeks later. That's how it usually is I think.

No, Samsung's shifted to doing their own event *just* before launch... which is midyear, not MWC time.

MWC will bring yet another naming scheme from HTC, but no big Samsung stuff besides the Note 8.0.

[epidemis]

S4 in may

[BlakeBang]

I am not understanding where the trend of bigger screen is leading us. Now that hardware specifications are getting irrelevant with all brand offering similar hardware, screen size is the game changer.

Samsung is building bigger and bigger screen with each new launch. Where is this leading us?

Bigger is better? Samsung is getting inspired by Tera Patrick

[zerogear]

I think Samsung is trying to find a point where people will still buy a device vs being too big.

[silverpig]

Originally Posted by ultimatebob

Sure, but do you really think that's going to complete with the high end Samsung Android phones?

It's kind of like saying that Samsung should be afraid of the new $20 Nokia flip phones coming out this year.

Yep I do. And no it isn't.

Check out some of the latest usage videos.

[Red Storm]

Originally Posted by BlakeBang

I am not understanding where the trend of bigger screen is leading us. Now that hardware specifications are getting irrelevant with all brand offering similar hardware, screen size is the game changer.

Samsung is building bigger and bigger screen with each new launch. Where is this leading us?

Bigger is better? Samsung is getting inspired by Tera Patrick

Phones have been diminutive for years and years because for the longest time the most important and used feature that they did was make phone calls. Today that's no longer the case. These are hand held computers now and they do a hell of a lot more. Those tiny iPhone 4 sized screens limit everything else you can do with a smartphone, hence the realization and push towards bigger screens (and the millions upon millions of people who want and buy them).

That's one reason anyway.

[Yongsta]

Originally Posted by BlakeBang

I am not understanding where the trend of bigger screen is leading us. Now that hardware specifications are getting irrelevant with all brand offering similar hardware, screen size is the game changer.

Samsung is building bigger and bigger screen with each new launch. Where is this leading us?

Bigger is better? Samsung is getting inspired by Tera Patrick

This will be the game changer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJehexDPEsE

Foldable OLED, small screen that can unfold to a larger screen (phone + tablet in one).

[TuxDave]

Originally Posted by zerogear

I think Samsung is trying to find a point where people will still buy a device vs being too big.

lol that was my theory for a while now. It's too hard to figure out the optimal size so we should just creep up every year until sales plummets, then go back a step.

[biostud]

They just need a phone in each size segment.

There should be a major update on win8 during feb., so maybe it'll bring some of the features you're missing.

[IHateMyJob2004]

Go look at the BB10:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sNvEfyBwKU

Should be available within a month. I plan on preordering from Verizon as soon as I can.

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally Posted by ultimatebob

Sure, but do you really think that's going to complete with the high end Samsung Android phones?

It's kind of like saying that Samsung should be afraid of the new $20 Nokia flip phones coming out this year.

Have you bothered with researching the BB10? Probably not. BB10 is hands and above better than iOS and Android. And most popular apps will be on BB10.

Having actually read about BB10, I can't wait to trade in my Android phone for it.

But go do some research and be open minded.

[smitbret]

Another guy that says it may be worth waiting 1 more week to see what BB 10 is gonna bring to the table.

[IHateMyJob2004]

Good to see some open minded people here. Very excited for BB10. Admittedly, if it isn't what I thought it was, I'll probably get an Android. But BB10 as an OS just looks way better than anything Apple, Microsoft or Google has available. BB10 might require you loose 1 out of 5 "popular" apps but all of the ones I loose have equivalents available. It will also be nice to have a good web browser on my phone for once (Android sucks and I can't get the chrome browser because my phone OS version is to old). Atleast I don't have to worry about getting locked out of new software because I upgrade my OS. Geesh.

[Zstream]

As long as the BB10 can use activesync and is hardware encrypted, I'm fine.