MetroPCS Confirms October 22nd Launch of Samsung Galaxy S III

MetroPCS has taken to its Facebook page to confirm a Monday launch of its next flagship Android smartphone in the Galaxy S III after months of rumor and teasing in recent weeks. The phone is identical to other versions released domestically in terms of features while featuring a dual-core processor on account of its LTE support. The complete feature set is as follows and taken from the companion press release:

· 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and 2GB of RAM memory
· 4.8 inch 720P HD SuperAMOLED™ screen
· 8MP back and 1.9MP front cameras with features such as Burst Shot; Best Shot that recommends the best picture to keep based on colors, lighting and clarity; and Share Shot, that allows other Galaxy S III users to  share pictures from up to 200 feet away over Wi-Fi, AllShare® Play streams videos, photos and music to various connected devices including TVs and speakers, remotely accesses files and shares group presentations and photos.

· S Beam shares content and information – pictures, maps, contacts, calendars, etc. – by simply touching two Galaxy S III phones together
· Enhanced gesture controls to minimize unnecessary screen touches or softkey use
· Pop Up Play delivers video picture-in-picture so users can multitask with entertainment while accomplishing the day’s tasks
· Near Field Communication (NFC) support
· Support for MetroPCS 4GLTE Mobile Hotspot service (for an additional monthly charge)

Pricing for the phone is set at $499.99 plus tax either online or through corporate stores and selected authorized dealers. In addition, selected corporate stores and authorized dealers will have the phone available for purchase beginning this weekend ahead of the wider launch on Monday.

With the launch of the Galaxy S III ahead of the T-Mobile reverse merger, MetroPCS has still shown that it is committed to its current customer base even as the company begins its transition to becoming a wholly owned division of T-Mobile USA. The $499.99 price point of the S III also demonstrates how quickly flagship Android devices can come down in price after launch, as the phone was launched in May to great fanfare and equally great pricing.