In late 2012, Samsung tried to forcibly invent a new market for smart cameras with the Galaxy Camera. It combined the shooting power of Samsung’s camera lineup with the guts of its Galaxy S III smartphone. It was an interesting idea to say the least, and Samsung thought it performed well enough to deserve a successor.

Samsung announced ahead of CES that it will be bringing the Galaxy Camera 2 to stores this year. The Galaxy Camera 2 is being billed as a generational leap above the original in hardware and software. It appears that only the innards have been upgraded though as it features the same 16MP lens as the previous model.

“Consumers love the Galaxy Camera, and this next-generation version was designed to improve on the successful predecessor, with upgraded and new features that will enhance the photography experience,” said Myoung Sup Han, Executive Vice President and Head of the Imaging Business Team at Samsung Electronics. “The result is a more powerful and portable device which continues to embrace the public’s passion for the social features of smartphones, yet also provides superior image control and quality. We are dedicated to making it easier for more people to achieve great results and with the Galaxy Camera 2’s host of creative features, anyone can capture stand out images.”

Even without the upgraded camera hardware, the Galaxy Camera 2 is a better all-around device. The new device sports a 1.6GHz quad-core CPU, 21x optical zoom, 2 GB of RAM and a 2000mAh battery. All in all, you’re getting a much better device on the hardware side of things with the Galaxy Camera 2.

As for software, Samsung says it will ship with Android 4.3. There’s no word yet on if the original Galaxy Camera will be upgraded to Android 4.3, but it’s not likely. The original is still rockin’ Android 4.1.2 so the bump up to 4.3 in the Galaxy Camera 2 may be a ploy to get current owners to upgrade their hardware.

Oh, and if you do decide to pick up the Galaxy Camera 2, Samsung will throw in 50 GB of free storage on Dropbox for two years. The app even comes preloaded on the device so you have no excuse not to use it.

If you want to get your hands on the Galaxy Camera 2, you’ll be able to take it for a spin at Samsung’s CES booth next week.

Image via Samsung