Verizon begins Galaxy S III pre-orders

If you’re on Verizon, you can lock down your order of the phone that could be the new Android standard.

The carrier has listed a release date of July 9, with an after-contract subsidized price of $249.99.

Samsung Telecommunications America president Dale Sohn recently said this of the new phone:

“The U.S. launch of the Galaxy S III is the most anticipated launch of the year. As promised, we are delivering the ‘next big thing’ for U.S. customers and across all major carriers. Galaxy S III introduces new technological innovation and takes sharing to the next level.”

At full capacity, Samsung’s manufacturing process can reportedly produce 5 million units of the phone per month. It has assumedly been running that production for at least a month.

Samsung has been very specific that it does not see other Android phones as its competitor – it looks directly at the iPhone. It believes the Galaxy S line can be the definitive Android brand.

And that isn’t just blind arrogance. Samsung owns an astounding 30.6% of the mobile phone market. It toppled Nokia as the leader in the industry for the first time in 15 years.

And with more than 50% of American consumers now owning smartphones, and with Android as the most popular smartphone platform by far, owning that industry is a huge deal.

The Galaxy S III will see an almost unparalleled global launch on May 29, with 100 carrier partners already secured at dozens of countries throughout the planet.