Samsung unveils four new Galaxy smartphones
With an eye toward affordability, the new phones offer smaller screens and less processing power than the flagship Galaxy S5.
Samsung Electronics bolstered its Galaxy line of smartphones with four new devices, providing some lower-tier options for people looking to avoid the high price tag of its flagship Galaxy S5 .
The tech giant on Monday unveiled the Galaxy Core 2, Galaxy Star 2, Galaxy Ace 4 (called the Galaxy Trend 2 in the UK), and Galaxy Young 2, each with smaller displays and less powerful processors than the GS5. All four new devices run the latest version of Google's mobile operating system, Android 4.4 KitKat , like the GS5.
While Apple -- its top competitor -- comes out with only one or two iPhone models per generation, Samsung tends to produce an array of options in an effort to capture more market share and provide something for everyone.
Just last week, US network Sprint announced it would exclusively offer the new fitness-focused, water-resistant, and dust-proof Galaxy S5 Sport . Samsung's strategy certainly seems to be working, with the company now the largest smartphone maker in the world, according to IDC.
Samsung emphasized affordability with the new phones, though it didn't disclose specific pricing and it's still unclear if any of these devices will reach the US or Australia. The Galaxy Star 2 will not go on sale in the UK, Samsung said, but the other three will.
The Galaxy Core 2 is the highest-end of the bunch, with a 4.5-inch display and 1.2GHz quad-core processor, although it doesn't offer 4G LTE. Comparatively, the GS5 has 4G, a 5.1-inch display and a 2.5GHz quad-core processor.
The Ace 4/Trend 2 has a 4-inch display -- the same size as Apple's latest iPhone -- and offers either a dual-core 1.2GHz or dual-core 1GHz processor. The Young 2 and Star 2 both have single-core 1GHz processors and 3.5-inch displays.