Rumor: Will Samsung unveil Android-based Galaxy S camera alongside Galaxy Note 2?

Rumor has it Samsung is planning to introduce a Galaxy S camera running Android 4.0 at IFA 2012.

When a major tech event is approaching, the rumor mill tends to go wild with alleged photo leaks and anonymous sources teasing all sorts of unconfirmed devices. The upcoming IFA 2012 is no exception either and the latest tip given to GSM Arena has Samsung launching a new, Android-based camera.

The new device will allegedly be called the Samsung Galaxy S camera and feature a familiar 4.8″ SuperAMOLED screen. It won’t be running some stunted version of Android either, the tipster said it would come preloaded with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The device is described as a “Galaxy S III glued to the back of a point-and-shoot camera”, so bye-bye physical buttons. The camera itself has a 16-megapixel sensor, pop-out Xenon flash, 10x zoom, and a curved right side for easy handling. Reportedly, Samsung will fit all that into a package 1.5 to 2 times thicker than a Galaxy S III. GSM Arena created a realistic-looking photoshop render based on the rumors, which we’ve included above.

In terms of connectivity, the Galaxy S camera will potentially come in two versions: one equipped with Wi-Fi only and one sporting both 3G and Wi-Fi. Don’t expect to replace your smartphone, however, as the device is said to only support mobile data, meaning voice calls and text messaging will be absent. We can’t imagine many people would want to carry around a point-and-shoot as their main device, but it would be nice for photo-enthusiasts to have the option.

The Galaxy S may not be the first Android-powerd camera to reach the market, but it could be the first to get it right. After all, a connected camera would be very popular in today’s sharing-obsessed culture. Just keep in mind this is all speculation until the truth is revealed at IFA in less than a week. It is worth noting, however, that Samsung is known to introduce experimental products at IFA like last year’s Galaxy Note phablet.

For interest’s sake, let’s say the rumor is true. Would you buy an Android-based camera? And would you ever consider using it as your main device if it did support voice and text?