Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 Could Round Out Premiere Product Gush

Samsung could bring a new Galaxy Camera 2 to its "Premiere 2013" event this month, it's suggested, with Samsung Electronics CEO JK Shin confirming that the company "will release our latest mirrorless camera that runs on Google's Android software" on June 20. The comments, which according to The Korea Times are in regards a replacement to 2012's Samsung Galaxy Camera, follow the reveal of the Galaxy S4 Zoom earlier this week, a hybrid phone-camera based on the Galaxy phone series.

Shin's comments – and exactly what comprises a "mirrorless camera" – have already prompted some argument about just what we can expect Samsung to reveal. One interpretation is that the executive was in fact referring to the Galaxy S4 Zoom, which is indeed a "mirrorless" device (unlike a DSLR, which generally uses a mirror).

However, another possibility is that Shin was describing a replacement to the original Galaxy Camera, something else which has been well-rumored in recent weeks. The Galaxy Camera II product name was confirmed in a leak at the weekend, while photos purportedly taken by the device were spotted online earlier this month.

The first Galaxy Camera took the approach of integrated Android, a large touchscreen, and data connectivity into a point-and-shoot frame, with a 20x optical zoom and a 16.3-megapixel sensor. Although certainly a niche product, it performed well in reviews, particularly with regards to the easy by which photos and videos could be shared directly from the camera itself.

With the Galaxy S4 Zoom shrinking down the specifications into something more phone-like, one possibility is that the Galaxy Camera 2 will step up its camera credentials and use an interchangeable lens system. Since the Galaxy Camera was based largely on the WB150F, which has WiFi and a touchscreen but runs a proprietary OS, the second-gen version could take the Samsung NX1100 as its basis.

We've asked Samsung for more details on Shin's comments, but we may have to wait until June 20 to find out exactly what the CEO was talking about.

VIA Android Beat