Samsung Electronics has launched a mid-range LTE smartphone, the Galaxy Core LTE, in the Taiwan market, competing directly with HTC, Sony Mobile Communications and LG Electronics in the NT$9,000 (US$298) segment.

　　The Galaxy Core LTE comes with a 4.5-inch QHD display, 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, 5-megapixel camera, priced at NT8,990 unlocked or available for NT$2,790 in bundled sales at Chunghwa Telecom (CHT).

　　Comparable mid-range LTE models currently available in the local market include HTC's Desire 816, LG's G2 mini, and Sony Mobile's Xperia M2, according to market sources. The HTC Desire 816 and G2 mini are also priced at NT$8,990 unlocked, while the Xperia M2 is available for NT$9,900.

　　The Galaxy Core LTE supports a download speed of up to 150mbps and upload speed of 50mbps and sports built-in WiFi Direct, NFC, S Beam and Bluetooth 4.0 functionalities.