An unofficial new Samsung device has been put through its paces by a Chinese electronics certification company. It’s referred to as the Samsung SM-T2558, and despite it having a 7-inch display, the device has 3G and 4G connectivity options, and apparently passed through as a phone, not a tablet.
The image you see here was also leaked, and sure enough, there’s a speaker above the screen, ready for you to look very silly indeed while taking a call. It’s speculated the T2558 may be part of Samsung’s Galaxy Mega line-up. Currently, the range consists of two phones, the Mega 5.8 and the Mega 6.3. Could this be the Mega 7.0?
If so, the device isn’t going to trouble the Galaxy S5. The specifications make it a solid mid-range model, with a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1.5GB of RAM, and an 8-megapixel rear camera. Additionally, there’s a 2-megapixel front camera, 8GB of internal memory, and a MicroSD card slot. This is all very similar to the Mega 6.3, and even the design – with a hardware home button below the screen – is reminiscent of the aging big-screen phones.
Samsung launched the Mega 5.8 and Mega 6.3 in April 2013, so they’re due for replacement in the near future. The question is, would anyone want a 7-inch phone? It’s not a new concept, but Huawei reignited interest in it during Mobile World Congress with its MediaPad X1 tablet/phone. It also has a 7-inch screen, along with a surprisingly impressive spec sheet.
The Chinese certification indicates the mysterious phone is only destined for the local market, but the original Galaxy Mega phones did make it to the U.S., with the 6.3-inch version available through AT&T. Samsung has an event scheduled for the end of April, where we’re expecting to meet the Galaxy K Zoom, but we could be surprised with other hardware too.
