This new device has recently emerged with some images and the video you can see below, and brings another device to the I9000 Galaxy S range that started a couple of years back. The upcoming handset has the GT-I9070 model number and according to GSM Arena comes packing a dual-core 1GHz processor.

It has 4-inch Super AMOLED slightly curved display with WVGA resolution, similar to the Galaxy Nexus with a 3.5mm audio input at the bottom. Camera wise it has a five megapixel shooter that is capable of 720p video capture, while the battery is a 1500 mAh unit.

The Samsung Galaxy S Advance will come running Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread straight out of the box, but considering it has a dual-core power plant an ICS upgrade should be on the cards at some point. It is believed unlike the Galaxy S III the Advance should be revealed at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February.

Samsung has recently reported massive profits that have been led by its smartphone range as the company continues to provide a major threat to Apple’s crown. Do you have a Samsung smartphone?

There have been various rumors that the smartphone manufacturer was developing an Android ‘Value Pack’ update for the handset. But now the company has told The Next Web that there are no plans for any such release.

Previously Samsung had said that hardware issues on the older Galaxy range were preventing the company providing an update for them. Both the TouchWiz overlay and Samsung Widgets were proving to be unreliable on the aging smartphone, and this led Samsung to decide not to update the Galaxy S.

Then after it was reported that Samsung was thinking of reconsidering its decision not to release ICS on the Galaxy S and the Galaxy Tab, many thought the company would instead push out a Value Pack with new features instead of a full update of the Android software.

A Samsung spokesperson has now confirmed that the older Galaxy devices will be sticking with the Android Gingerbread operating system. There will be many unhappy owners of the handset who are still stuck with a two year contract for the device, and will be surprised as the Galaxy Nexus is a similarly specified handset and has Android 4.0.

Are you annoyed that the Galaxy S won’t be getting ICS?

When it was originally suggested that the Galaxy S was to miss out on Ice Cream Sandwich many were surprised as the device was pretty similar to the Nexus S, which was set to receive the update. Now Phandroid is reporting there may be some good news for Galaxy owners after all.

Samsung must have heard the many owners of the hardware taking to the internet and complaining their still quite powerful device was set to miss out. The company has now said it will continue to look at various ways to get ICS onto the Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab.

Many owners probably wouldn’t mind if Samsung eliminated the TouchWiz overlay, but it is highly unlikely if possible that Samsung would do that. They may have to look at different solutions to get it to work seamlessly on the devices, which were once Samsung’s flagship products during 2010.

This situation mirrors what was seen earlier in the year when owners of the HTC Desire discovered there device was set to miss out on Android Gingerbread. HTC then responded by saying they would offer a scaled down version of the operating system for the device.

Do you hope to get ICS on your Galaxy S even though it may be scaled back a bit?

When Samsung announced plans for the Android 4.0 update the original Galaxy Tab joined the Galaxy S, by seemly missing out on the update. What’s even more surprising according to Phone Arena is the fact that the Nexus S is getting ICS, and is a similar device to the Galaxy S.

Samsung has now said there is a number of reasons why the new Android operating system won’t be landing on the Galaxy S. These include the Samsung TouchWiz overlay, additional widgets, video conferencing software, and carrier software and localization. Samsung also stated that there are issues with ROM and RAM management.

This news will raise fears that Android fragmentation will still be around even with Ice Cream Sandwich, which was the software that was originally believed to fix the issue. Even though the Galaxy S was launched in 2010, it is still a powerful smartphone that now looks to be getting left behind.

Compare this to the Apple iOS platform that has seen the most recent iOS 5 release become available for the 2008 iPhone 3GS. If you are up to the job you could always put on a custom Android 4.0 ROM on to your Galaxy S, but it’s far from ideal.

Are you disappointed that ICS is not coming to the Galaxy S?

According to Samsung the updates will bring the devices increased speed and performance, multimedia-related tasks will require less CPU power and there will be enhanced support for 3D graphics. In terms of usability we have been promised a more intuitive user experience which allows for faster access and control, also there will be improved copy and paste functionality.

The update for the Galaxy S should be launched pretty soon (if it is not already live), as for the Galaxy Tab we have not been given a time or date, therefore we will have to keep you posted as we hear more. One thing to remember is that the update will not arrive over-the-air, instead you will have to connect your device to your computer and use the Kies software, you can download the software here.

You can find out a little more about these updates over at Samsung.com, let us know as and when your receive the update in the comments section below, also be sure to tell us if the update process went smoothly for you.

While we can guess that there’s already quite a considerable amount of you who are already proud owners of a Galaxy S II handset, we have a feeling that most of you are still waiting in line for your relevant retailer or carrier to stock the device, as it has been in-demand ever since Samsung made the handset available for global launch earlier on this month.

For those of you who do have a handset already, you’ll want to download these two firmware updates. The first update will make the handset more responsive when using Swype text input, while the second update will tweak some system settings with relation to the automatic brightness on the handset, as reported from Android Community. Finally we’re also hearing that both updates will include improved connectivity as well, which is nice.

If you’re interested in downloading the updates, simply boot up your Samsung Kies software and follow the steps. Let us know if you have any problems related to the updates.

Obviously this does not help people in the US and UK all that much, however we may be able to estimate when it will be available in their regions and how much it will cost.

The Galaxy S II is listed on Amazon Germany for €545.90 and will ship in 4 to 5 weeks, this price equates to roughly $800 or $485. As for the date this may well be an estimate shipping date, however four to five weeks from today equates to somewhere between May 25th and June 1st.

We do not know how much carriers will want for this smartphone when purchased as part of a two-year deal, as usual we will have to keep you posted as we find out more.

It could be a while until we hear more release date and price news, therefore to keep you entertained for now check out the official Galaxy S II website for all you need to know, this link is particularly useful if you want to see a long-list of features.

Will you upgrade from the Samsung Galaxy S to the Samsung Galaxy S II?

We’ve taken a look at the animated wallpapers ourselves and we have to say they are very impressive. There are two to choose from, one showing a beach theme and the other a peaceful field with windmills blowing. Both wallpapers operate via the use of your GPS, the current time and even what the weather is like in your area.

For example, if you choose the beach theme and it’s 7PM in the evening and snowing, you’ll see the theme change accordingly to reflect this. It’s nothing amazing, but it certainly adds that touch of style to your Android handset.

So how do you get one? Well, simply head over to XDA Forums here and download the files, as reported from Phandroid. Judging by the user comments, the wallpapers are working perfectly on a host of Android handsets, including the EVO, Epic 4G, MyTouch Slide, Nexus S, Desire Z, Nexus One and the Atrix.

Try them out for yourself now and let us know if they work for you.

Gareth Beavis from TechRadar is reporting that Vodafone posted on its forum and said “Due to an issue with the Gingerbread update for the Samsung Galaxy S, its roll out has been temporarily suspended by Google.”

Vodafone went on to say that it wasn’t a problem with their version of the Galaxy S, but were working with Samsung to correct the problem. No details of what the exact problem was, but must be annoying for owners wanting to download the new operating system for their handsets.

As you can imagine the rumor mill has begun with some reports suggesting an issue with the camera application was causing problems in some regions. Many owners must have already downloaded the Gingerbread update to their devices as soon as it went live, so until there is a fix could be left with faulty software.

Have you updated your Galaxy S yet? Have you noticed any problems?

Below is the official statement from Apple which is detailed in the lawsuit, which has been brought to our attention via an article in the Wall Street Journal:

“Rather than innovate and develop its own technology and a unique Samsung style for its smart phone products and computer tablets, Samsung chose to copy Apple’s technology, user interface and innovative style in these infringing products.”

Not only are they seeking an infringement in the iPhone 4 design, but they also state that Samsung copied the iPad’s design as well – ouch. It’s fair to say that you could draw some similarities in design between the two juggernaut smartphones, but for Apple to directly launch a lawsuit because of it seems very harsh in our opinion.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you believe that Samsung copied the design of the iPhone 4 for their Galaxy S? You can view some patent photos from Apple’s ‘evidence’ over at Engadget. We’ll let you know when Samsung respond to the claims.

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