JK Shin, head of Samsung Mobile Communications, confirmed today that his company will be releasing a four-inch version of the Galaxy S III on October 11th in Germany. Shin announced the news during a meeting with Korean press on Wednesday.

Shin didn't reveal many details about the device, though he said it was spurred by increasing demand for 4-inch devices in Europe. He also noted that it won't be an entry-level handset, telling reporters it will have "full form factor." This would make it an unusual addition to the Android landscape, where high-end devices tend to be 4.5 inches or larger.

"We'll be launching a 4-inch Galaxy S III on the 11th in Germany," Shin said. "There's a lot of demand for a 4-inch screen device in Europe. Some call it an entry-level device, but we call it 'mini.'"

Shin's confirmation comes just ahead of Apple's rumored iPad mini announcement.

Update: Samsung has confirmed to The Verge that it will hold an event on October 11th. "Galaxy S III mini will come with 4-inch display and we are going to unveil the product tomorrow (Oct 11th)."

Hyunhu Jang contributed to this report.