I don't like talking about "industry insider" rumors. They are inevitably wrong about one detail or another, end up being total speculation, or are just downright trolls. Those that are true tend to be the ones that are very detailed and often leak their way out days, or hours, before a device's launch. Rumors that circulate months beforehand? Not so much.
But the Galaxy S III (if it will even be called that) is likely going to be the most anticipated Android device of the year, especially after the worldwide success of the Galaxy S II. As a result, we feel obligated to participate in some of the ritualized rumor-mongering that happens every time a new and exciting Android thing is on the horizon. So, let's all put on our rumor caps and take a look at what the scrying pool of guesstitude (why yes, I did just make that word up) is going to tell us today.
Here's the rumor:
Korean site ETNews is reporting that the Galaxy S III will be packing, wait for it, a quad-core processor, Super AMOLED+ display, 2MP front camera, 8MP rear camera, LTE support, and will be 7mm thick. And it will come out as early as May, which as we all know, means any time from May to December.
And the award for most conservative specification rumor of the year goes to... But seriously, that's it? We all know that the two big specifications of concern for the Galaxy S II are the processor and the display - neither of which are elaborated on in any but the most general (and very safe) ways.
Saying the Galaxy S III will have a quad-core processor and some sort of Super AMOLED+ display along with a thickness of 7mm is about as daring as saying next year's Ford Mustang GT will have more power standard, will retain rear-wheel drive, and will be .4 seconds quicker to 60MPH. Anything different would be a surprise. And who cares if the .4 seconds time turns out to be wrong? Maybe it's only 0.3 seconds quicker, or 0.2. Any variation from the purported figure will be chocked up to "late design changes" or a "miscommunication." Much like the thickness figure, no one will remember that little error, because when evaluating the rumor on a holistic basis, it's still mostly true.
So, what have we learned today? The Galaxy S III will be thinner and faster than its predecessor, and will utilize a similar proprietary Samsung display technology. And it'll probably come out this summer. In summary: not much.
Relatedly, ETNews did also say according to their insider that 7 variants of the Galaxy S III will be released this year, and one might have a 3D display.