Samsung today announced the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Core, an affordable dual-core smartphone with a few features borrowed from the Samsung Galaxy S4.
Samsung claims that the focus with the Samsung Galaxy Core is on "portability and power." The former is evident in its 4.3-inch display, which is well below the current 5-inch trend (on Android at least). Still, a resolution of just 800 x 480 is the first sign of the Galaxy Core's budget status.
Another is the phone's 1.2GHz dual-core CPU which, while plenty capable enough, falls some way short of the quad-core processors further up the Android food chain. It's backed by a decent 1GB of RAM.
In terms of internal storage, the Samsung Galaxy Core comes with a modest 8GB, though it also features a microSD slot for expansion purposes.
Around back we have another entry-level component - a 5-megapixel camera. Meanwhile its 1.800mAh battery should be more than adequate given the Galaxy Core's modest display and processor.
It'll run on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean - not the very latest version of Google's mobile OS, but not too far behind.
Dual SIM and Samsung Galaxy S4 Software
One interesting option here is the potential for a dual SIM setup, enabling you to run two mobile accounts simultaneously. Samsung claims that the availability of this feature will depend on the market, though, suggesting that it's intended for developing countries where such a feature is well established.
Although the Samsung Galaxy Core's hardware is fairly modest, some of its custom software features are clearly borrowed from the new Samsung Galaxy S4.
These include Smart Stay, which recognises when a user is looking at the phone and dims the screen when they are not. Smart Alert detects when the handset has been picked up and provides missed call and message alerts at this point.
Motion UI lets you use simple motion commands to initiate basic functions like refresh or mute, and S Voice is Samsung's own Siri-like voice-activated personal assistant.
The Samsung Galaxy Core will be available from July in its single SIM configuration, or later this month in dual SIM.
If you're interested in some of the software features of the Samsung Galaxy Core, check out our selection of Samsung Galaxy S4 tips and tricks.
