Samsung will release what it said is the world's first 12-megapixel camera phone this month, beating rival handset maker Sony Ericsson to market and jumping ahead in the megapixel race.

Samsung will launch the Pixon12, which has a full-touch 3.1-inch AMOLED display, later this month in Europe and in other regions of the world in August. The phone will have a dedicated camera power key, which will give users one-touch access to the camera function. Additionally, users will be able to select a focus point by touching the screen, and the Samsung Share Pix feature will let users upload their photos to social networking websites. 

The announcement of the Pixon12 is a blow to Sony Ericsson, which has touted its Satio phone, previously named the Idou, as having a 12-megapixel camera. The Satio will be available in the fourth quarter.

For more:
- see this release [1]

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