Dallas — Samsung plans Oct. 24 availability of Samsung’s 6-inch Galaxy Mega 2 phablet, which will compete with the new 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.
The LTE-equipped Android phablet with HD display will retail for $149 with two-year contract, and for $475 without contract. Under the carrier’s Next installment-payment/upgrade plans, the device will retail for $19.80 a month under the Next 18 plan and $23.75 a month with Next 12 plan.
With AT&T Next 12, users can upgrade to a new unsubsidized cellphone after 12 months, and under Next 18, users can upgrade after 18 months. Users can also choose to keep their Mega 2 and pay it off after 20 monthly installments under Next 12, or 24 monthly installments under Next 18.
The device features a quad-core processor, 8-megapixel main camera with 4x zoom, 2,800 mAh removable lithium-ion battery, and an ultra-power-saving mode that lets users receive calls and texts for up to 24 hours on a 10 percent charge.
The phone displays two apps simultaneously in split-screen mode, and a new multi-instance mode lets users open the same application in two windows at once. The Galaxy Mega 2 also lets users display emails and web pages in a transparent pop-up window while a movie is playing.
The phone’s predecessor, the Mega, came with 6.3-inch display and 1.7GHz dual-core processor. It was launched by AT&T at $149 with contract. It was also available unsubsidized through AT&T’s Next program.
Carriers offering the original Mega include U.S. Cellular, Sprint and MetroPCS.
