The launch of Samsung’s next-generation flagship, the Galaxy S5, is fast approaching. While it seems that rumours of its début at the Mobile World Congress in a few weeks" time were wide of the mark, all indicators point to launch sometime in the next couple of months.
But that hasn’t stopped the Korean giant from launching yet another version of its wildly popular Galaxy S4. SamMobile spotted the excitingly named Galaxy S4 ‘Black Edition’ on the Samsung Russia site, alongside a similarly branded version of the Galaxy S4 Mini.
But, alas, the name is the most exciting thing about these latest additions to the company’s range. The two Black Edition handsets are identical to the standard versions of the S4 and S4 Mini, with the exception of a black faux-leather rear cover similar to that featured on the Galaxy Note 3.
Under the hood, there are no hardware differences at all, and you won’t even get the latest version of Android on board – while other devices are launching with Android 4.4 KitKat, these will be sold with version 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.
Both handsets will soon be available to purchase in Russia, although it is not yet clear if they will be sold in other markets. Buyers wanting to get their hands on the S4 Black Edition will be asked to pay the equivalent of $660 off-contract, while the S4 Mini will retail for $460.
Some might suggest that launching so many devices runs the risk of confusing customers, but Samsung’s strategy of offering a handset for virtually every conceivable niche seems to be working out pretty well for the company. The latest figures from IDC show that almost a third of the one billion smartphones shipped last year was a Samsung.
Source: SamMobile | image via Samsung