Last year Samsung released the first Android powered point-and-shoot camera in the shape of the Galaxy Camera. The device was a brilliant idea because it combined an easy to use smartphone interface with a proper camera and an ability to upload your photos on the fly. Even though it did house some impressive hardware including a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor with a 21x optical lens zoom, some found its $500 price tag unsavory, especially when other cameras with similar sensors only costing around $200.
Fortunately for those of you who wish to have a quality digital camera without having to pay with an arm, a leg and a kidney, Samsung has announced a new Wi-Fi only version of the device. This new device is expected to cost around $200 and will feature the same spec sheet as the original including the 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, 1.4 GHz quad-core processor, 4.8″ display and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box. The only difference being the lack of a mobile data connection however users will still be able to connect to the internet and associated cloud and social media services over Wi-Fi. The lack of 3G can also be seen as a blessing in disguise because before you not only had to pay $500 for the actual device, but also a monthly data plan, increasing the cost of the device over time.
For those of you who wish to have the ability to instantly upload your images on the run, there are ways to get around the lack of mobile data; such as using your phone as a wireless hotspot and connecting the Galaxy Camera via Wi-Fi tethering, which circumvents the need to buy and pay for two data connections. Let’s not forget that more and more public areas are offering free Wi-Fi as well, making the need for a separate data plan redundant, especially when you consider global roaming costs if you were using it overseas.
We have yet to hear of an official date from Samsung on when you can get your hands on this device. We will hopefully be seeing further details from Samsung at MWC 2013, which begins on February 25th.