You can’t have a major press event these days without a companion app to go with it – tech journalists are a fickle bunch, and even if we never use it, it’s nice to know it’s there. So it is with Mobile UNPACKED 2012, Samsung’s May 3rd event in London that most notably will host “The Next Galaxy” (Galaxy S III) press announcement. If you’ll be at the event, download it from the Google Play Store to get ready.
The UNPACKED app is your typical conference guide: schedule, maps, parking and transport info, the works. But it’s also going to be of some interest to those not in attendance, because the Google Play Store listing claims that the app will stream the video announcements live for anyone who wishes to see them. We still don’t know if they’ll actually put the Galaxy S III announcement on video, but it’d be worth it to wait and see for any eager Android fan. You also get the teasers already revealed and press releases as they become available. And Speaking of the Galaxy S III, the app’s listing is the first time in months that we’ve seen the phone referred to as such by Samsung itself: “galaxy s3” is tucked into the description for better search optimization.
Unfortunately, it looks like the app itself could have used a little more time in the oven. Users on multiple Android phones, and particularly those using the Galaxy Nexus and other Ice Cream Sandwich devices, are complaining that the app is either completely non-functional or so buggy it’s useless. My own Galaxy Nexus running AOKP build 31 is getting a blank screen. Looks like Samsung isn’t really keen on its customers upgrading to ICS… not until a certain phone comes out, anyway.
They didn’t follow the ICS design guidelines.