Samsung confirms 4-inch Galaxy S3 Mini smartphone

Samsung has today (October 10) confirmed that it will unveil a new Galaxy S3 smartphone with a 4-inch screen in Germany this week, as the firm's battle with rival Apple intensifies.

JK Shin, the head of Samsung Mobile Communications, said at a meeting with Korean press on Wednesday that the new smaller version of the firm's flagship smartphone will be unveiled at a launch event on October 11.



According to The Verge, Shin did not reveal any further details about the phone beyond that it would have a 4-inch display, the same size as Apple's new iPhone 5.

However, he did say that the so-called Samsung Galaxy 3 Mini would not be a budget version of the phone, but instead come with the "full form factor".

"We'll be launching a 4-inch Galaxy S 3 on the 11 in Germany," Shin said. "There's a lot of demand for a 4-inch screen device in Europe. Some call it an entry-level device, but we call it 'mini'."

Samsung already has a range of entry-level handsets running Google Android, and so it clearly intends to aim the new mini S3 at those who feel that the main handset's 4.8-inch screen is too large.

However, the move will also widely be viewed as a response to the iPhone 5, which has shifted more than 5 million units in its first weekend alone last month and could even outsell the Galaxy S3 by the end of the year.

Samsung's announcement also comes a week ahead of Apple's expected unveiling of the new iPad Mini, the rumoured small screen tablet that would compete with models from Google, Amazon and also Samsung.