Samsung first unveiled the Galaxy Grand, a dual-SIM smartphone with mid-range specifications, which is aimed mostly at emerging markets, back in December. Just a month later, the company has unveiled another model for its native South Korea, and it comes with a number of significant improvements such as a quad-core processor and 4G LTE connectivity.

The original Galaxy Grand offers a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and only 3G connectivity, allowing it to be priced for emerging markets and budget-conscious consumers. The new one, however, gives Koreans a little more bang for their buck. It packs a 1.4GHz quad-core processor and super speedy 4G connectivity.

Aside from those improvements, this newer model is identical to the month-old Galaxy Grand; it sports the same design, and continues to pack that disappointing 5-inch display with a low 800×480 resolution. It also offers an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera that’s capable of shooting 1080p video (not that you’ll be able to enjoy it on that display), a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage — expandable via microSD card.

The Galaxy Grand’s biggest selling point, of course, is its dual-SIM card slot, which allows you to use two SIM cards simultaneously. That makes it ideal for those who want to use just one handset in both personal and professional environments.

Samsung’s decision to update the Galaxy Grand for South Korea just a month after announcing it for internal markets is a very strange one, and it’s likely to discourage consumers from buying the dual-core model in other markets. Although the quad-core one is currently exclusive to South Korea, there’s a possibility it could go global later on.

• ViaSammyHub