Samsung Galaxy S3 Released in Dubai a Week Early, Price: $666 [REPORT]

Millions of people have pre-ordered the Samsung Galaxy S3; eagerly awaiting its release on May 29, but various reports suggest that the phone has already been released in Dubai.

The first report came from Reddit, where a user in Dubai spotted a now available poster for the phone outside a local store. When she went in to make an enquiry, she found that the phone was on sale for $666.

Another customer sent the Verge pictures of the phone, claiming to have purchased it in Dubai also for around $680.

Pre-orders for the phone have already exceeded nine million and Samsung enthusiasts will be able to get their hands on the S3 as early as next week.

U.S Galaxy S3 fans have been advised to wait for the phone's summer release as the international model of the phone does not support 4G LTE connectivity.

The international model will only be able to connect to AT&T's HSPA+ network and on T-Mobile users will be able to make calls, but won't be able to connect to the data package. On Verizon and Sprint networks, the phone will not work at all, according to PC World.

The 16GB SIM-free version of the phone is available for preorder on Amazon and it will be released on June 1 for $800, according to the site.

The international model of the Galaxy S3 is also available on Expansys for $694.99, but the site has not specified an estimated shipping time.

The S3 heralds a 4.8-inch screen, 1.4 GHz quad-core processor, voice control and face recognition. The new super amoled display is 22 percent larger than its predecessor, bringing the phone into the Galaxy Note's phone/tablet hybrid category.

Samsung has launched a face recognition feature on its latest phone in an effort to the make the smartphone experience more natural. The phone uses its front camera to identify the user's eye movement and ensures it never goes dark or switches off, while the user is looking at the phone.

Samsung has also improved its voice control feature with a sophisticated, Siri-like voice recognition system dubbed S voice. The service allows users to make verbal demands to control their phone. Texts and emails can be dictated and photographs can be taken through voice commands using the feature.

The S3 also includes an NFC chip, which enables content sharing --including video-- through tapping two phones together. The chip can also be used to make mobile payments.

The new Pop up Play feature on the phone enables multitasking, allowing users to open a video in a window on screen, and then use other apps with the rest of the screen.

The Samsung S3 will first become available in Europe at the end of May, followed by launches in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The 4G version of the phone will go on sale in the U.S and South Korea during the summer.

Specs

Screen size: 4.8 inch

Processor: 1.4 Ghz quad-core

Memory size: Up to 32gb (+64gb with card)

Operating system: Android Ice Cream Sandwich

Camera: Eight megapixel

Weight: 133 grams

Dimensions: Height - 136mm Width - 70mm Depth - 8.5mm

Battery: 2100mAh