Samsung Galaxy S III for Verizon review, price, availability and more

Well, that took just a bit longer than expected. Samsung’s “Developer Edition” Galaxy S III for Verizon Wireless is now available directly from the manufacturer — over two months after we were told that the device would be “coming soon.” Over that time period, an xda-developers member uploaded an unlocked bootloader, which has made it just as easy to load custom ROMs onto the device as any other variant of the Galaxy S III.

After Verizon’s decision to lock the bootloader on the standard, on-contract Galaxy S III, the “Developer Edition” was announced as an option for those who wanted to have full access to their devices, allowing them to heavily customize how the phone runs and completely change the user interface using alternative ROMs like CyanogenMod. It wasn’t an awful compromise — at least it’s an option — but with users able to work their way around the locked bootloader and the lengthy delay in getting the special edition to market, we suspect that few if any will be interested in the device at this point. If you are looking to pick one up, it is identical internally to the standard Galaxy S III, and is available directly from Samsung for $599.99 (16GB) or $649.99 (32GB) — the same as the off-contract prices that Verizon quotes on its website.

Samsung’s Galaxy S III has finished blanketing America’s wireless industry. The 4.8-inch handset is available on all four major carriers — AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon — plus a couple of smaller companies, and the device is among the best handset available no matter which provider you use. Verizon was the last of the launch partners to release the device, but it’s now available for $199.99 with a two-year contract.

When we reviewed the international variant of the Galaxy S III, we found a lot to like. Its quad-core Exynos processor tested faster than any SoC we’ve ever seen on a smartphone, it has a good display and a terrific camera, and Samsung found a way to change Android substantially without ruining it. Instead of a Google experience, it’s now a Samsung one, with S Voice, Kies Air, and plenty of other useful software.

How do you review a phone like the Galaxy S III? It’s already been subject to so much speculation, exposure, and early judgment — some of it coming from myself, admittedly — that it feels overwhelming to try and condense what it means to everyone into a single treatise. To Samsung, it’s the new flagship handset to keep the company ahead of every other Android OEM through 2012, for most people it’s a device that stretches the definition of the smartphone form factor, and to mobile gaming enthusiasts it’s potentially the most powerful platform yet.

Being a spec leader isn’t new to Samsung, but the Galaxy S III betrays an even loftier ambition: South Korea’s largest chaebol wants to also be known as a front runner in software. Android 4.0 is the basis upon which Samsung has built a formidable list of new and returning enhancements: S Beam, S Memo, S Planner, S Voice, Smart Stay, Direct Call, and even a limited-term exclusive of the Flipboard Android app. Throwing in 50GB of free Dropbox storage for two years makes Samsung’s offering seem comprehensive, but is it cohesive? That’ll be the primary question to answer for people wondering if the long wait for the Galaxy S III has been worth it.