Amidst all the popularity surrounding Samsung’s Galaxy brand of smartphones such as the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2, as well as the latest rumors about the Galaxy S4 doing rounds on the Web, Samsung has just revealed a brand new smartphone – Samsung Galaxy Grand – for its fans.

While the device has a similar look compared to the latest Galaxy S3 or the Galaxy Note 2, it is actually not, and is brand new device from Samsung. The Galaxy Grand has been rumored for quite a while now and now the company has finally come out of its shell to announce the new Android-based device.

The Galaxy Grand packs an impressive 5-inch screen with WVGA display of 480 x 800 resolution and 187 PPI, a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage (that can be expandable via microSD, as usual), an 8-megapixel main shooter with a 2-megapixel camera on the front, 2,100 mAh battery, with the device running on Android 4.1.2, as expected.

“Samsung GALAXY Grand runs Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean), Google’s latest operating system. Its vivid 5.0’’ display provides an expansive viewing experience, presenting messaging, multimedia and Web content in brilliant color and clarity. Even with the large screen, the phone is still slim, ergonomic and comfortable to hold,” the official Samsung page states. “You can also enjoy true multitasking running multiple apps simultaneously and without switching screens using Multi Window feature.”

The device also sports a powerful camera with zero shutter lag and ultra-quick camera start-up. It includes a backside illumination sensor to ensure clear shots even in dark conditions, as well as Full HD video recording.

The Grand’s intuitive features also make the phone easy to use. For example, per the company, Direct Call enables users to automatically dial a call by raising the device up to the ear. Moreover, while users can also “shake the phone to trigger status updates, or pan it to zoom into a screen.”

“Smart Alert shows missed events such as missed calls and new messages just by picking up the phone. Popup Video, for example, lets users watch video in a pop-up window anywhere on the screen while running other tasks; S Voice lets you control the phone using your voice; and AllShare Play lets you share content across Samsung devices using a single account.”

As of now, there will be two version of this phone: a dual SIM version, model number GT-I9082, which will launch first, and a single SIM version, model number GT-I9080, coming up later. Although there is currently no information of the device’s pricing or exact availability, it is expected that more details will emerge at the CES 2013.