Samsung has confirmed its Android-powered Galaxy Camera will go on sale in the UK on the 8th of November.
The 16-megapixel compact has a 21x optical zoom at the front and a huge 4.7in touchscreen display at the back, powered by Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The mobile OS might usually be spotted running smartphones, but here it's able to control the camera lens upload photos directly to the cloud or your social networks of choice, thanks to integrated 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, as well as 3G and 4G support.
With a 1.4GHz quad-core processor running the show and 8GB of on-board storage, it's every bit as powerful as a current generation smartphone, with full access to the Google Play Store - meaning you'll be able to download effects and filters to take full advantage of the 1/23" CMOS sensor. Of course, it also has a card slot for adding Micro SDXC cards so you don't run out of space for 16-megapixel photos or Full HD video.
We first saw the Galaxy Camera at this year's IFA show , where we were impressed with the speed of the OS and the quality of the display.
"The initial response to the Galaxy Camera has been amazing and we are really looking forward to offering our customers a completely new type of digital photography device." Simon Stanford, Samsung UK's Telecommunications & Networks VP, said of the announcement. "The Galaxy Camera is a fantastic example of our continued passion for innovation and we are excited to be evolving our Galaxy range even further."
Although pricing will vary between retailers, Samsung is suggesting an RRP of £399. As well as camera shops like Jessops , the Galaxy Camera will also go on sale through Phones 4 U and the Carphone Warehouse. Whether this will be as a standalone device or subsidised when taking out a 3G/4G contract isn't yet known.
Eager photographers can also get hold of the camera early if they head to a Samsung retail store, from 5PM on November the 7th.
