Samsung unveils Galaxy Core LTE for the entry-level 4G smartphone market

Smartphones without LTE cellular connectivity are becoming increasingly rare nowadays in 4G-enabled markets, as consumers are looking towards faster data speeds to get more out of their handsets. It is no surprise then that research firm Strategy Analytics predicts that sales of LTE smartphones will grow by a whopping 547 percent year-over-year in China, the largest market worldwide.

Samsung is no stranger to 4G LTE, as many of its smartphones offer this cellular capability. To tap further into the growing entry-level market, the South Korean company has announced the Galaxy Core LTE, which touts a premium look coupled with decent specs and fast connectivity speeds on mobile networks.

The Galaxy Core LTE is, by today's standards, rather mundane specifications-wise, but that is to be expected considering its target market. It offers a 4.5-inch PLS screen with a resolution of 540 by 960, 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, 2,100 mAh battery, 8 GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot, 5 MP back-facing and 0.3 front-facing cameras, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, NFC and GPS, as the main hardware highlights.

The smartphone ships with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, that is referred to as "Jelly Bean Plus", and the usual Samsung-branded apps and services like ChatOn, Easy Mode, Motion UI, S Voice, S Translator and S Travel.

Its measurements are on the small side, with the Galaxy Core LTE coming in at 132.9 x 66.3 x 9.8 mm. Samsung does not provide any weight data for the smartphone, but it is safe to say it is average.

The markets the Galaxy Core LTE will be sold in include Europe, Russia and select Asian countries. Samsung says the smartphone may be called Galaxy Core 4G in some regions, likely depending on the local branding of the technology. It will be offered in Black and White. There is no ETA on availability at this point.