Samsung launches largest Galaxy phone in India

Earlier this week, Samsung launched the Galaxy Mega 5.8 and Galaxy Mega 6.3 in India. To date, these are the largest smartphones to be launched by the South Korean electronics giant in India, as it feels there is a demand for oversized smartphones in developing nations.

As the names suggest, the screen size for the Galaxy Mega 5.8 and Mega 6.3 are 5.8 and 6.3 inches, respectively. According to TechGig.com, the former is priced at INR 25,100 (US$447.20) and the latter is priced at INR 31,490 rupees (US$561.10).

The bigger-screen handset will be available by the middle of June, while the smaller one will be available within one week.

Both are mid-range Samsung devices as the Mega 5.8 is powered by a dual-core processor running at 1.4GHz with 1.5GB of RAM. Internal storage is limited to just 8GB, but with the microSD expansion card slot, it can reach up to 64GB. The resolution is 540x960 pixels with a primary rear 8-megapixel (MP) camera and front 1.9-MP camera. It also runs Google Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS and weights just 182 grams.

By comparison, the Mega 6.3 is powered by a dual-core processor running at 1.7GHz with 1.5GB of RAM. Internal storage is 16GB and, like the 5.8 variant, also has rear 8-MP and front 1.9-MP cameras. Screen resolution, however, is 720 pixels and is encased in a super LCD screen, while the 5.8 variant uses only a TFT display.

Now the time has come for Indian consumers to decide between the trade offs of having larger smartphones or tablets with slightly larger screens and more features. If anything, the trend of making device smaller and more compact for consumers appears to be reversing. The question is how will consumers embrace this new growth spurt?

After all, it's much easier to store your basic mobile phone in your pocket versus these new range of devices that have become larger because of their screen size.