Samsung launches the Galaxy Beam 2 smartphone

It’s a struggle these days for companies to make a smartphone that actually stands out from the crowd. This is especially true for Android handsets, where competition is particularly fierce. Samsung has managed to take the top spot in the Android market by bombarding consumers with an incredibly broad line of products ranging from the premium (Galaxy S5) to the really unusual (Galaxy Beam). Surprisingly, even the Beam seems to have been popular enough to warrant a refresh.

The new Galaxy Beam 2 has a 4.66-inch 480 x 800 display, and runs Android 4.2 on an unspecified 1.2 GHz quad-core processor. Other specs include a microSD slot (up to 64 GB cards), a 5 MP back-facing camera, and a 2600 mAh battery. Nothing here is overly impressive, though the brushed metal design is a nice touch.

The device’s key feature is of course the projector integrated into the top of the phone. Samsung claims to have significantly improved the image quality with functions such as background color correction, greater brightness, and reduced color transparency.

Very much a niche device, the Beam 2 probably won’t ever gain significant popularity, though it could be a welcome backup device for anyone who needs to make presentations on the road. It is, after all, one of the lightest and most portable projectors to be found anywhere at 165 grams (5.82 ounces).

So far, the Beam 2 seems to only be launching in China. Availability in other countries and prices have not been announced.

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