Samsung is going head to head with Apple as it confirms the release of its Samsung Galaxy Alpha on September 12, a mere 3 days from the expected launch of Apple's much-awaited iPhone 6.

The phone is the first Samsung design that features a metal frame along with a 4.7-inch screen, similar to what is expected from the upcoming iPhone 6. The screen will sport a SuperAMOLED display with 1280x720p HD display along with 2GB of RAM, an octa-Core Exynos processor, standard 32GB external storage and a 12-MP camera all running on the new Android 4.4.4. Additionally, there will be a supplemental 2.1 MP front-facing camera, sensors for fingerprint and heart rate and a 1860 mAh for battery.

"Samsung Electronics today announced that the Galaxy Alpha will be available to pre-order in the UK on the Samsung e-store and selected partners from Thursday 28th August," said an official spokesperson for Samsung, as quoted by Trusted Reviews.

For those who are decided to get the phone and avail of the pre-order option, you can "collect the latest addition to Samsung's Galaxy smartphone line up from the Samsung Experience Stores and the Samsung Store at Westfield Stratford City on Wednesday 10th September."

Other avenues to snatch up the device when it's made available for general sale include selected sites online as well as retails like Carphone Warehouse and Phones4u on September 12.

The Alpha will be available first in the United Kingdom and in a number of colors: Charcoal Black, Dazzling White, Frosted Gold, Sleek Silver, and Scuba Blue.

This pits the Samsung Galaxy Alpha directly against the iPhone 6 of Apple which is also rumored to be launched at the upcoming Apple special event on September 9.

The rumors surrounding the iPhone 6 features include a 4.7-inch display, along with a larger 5.5-inch variant, Touch ID sensors, a boosted A8 processor chip, enhanced graphics and it will run on the new iOS 8 platform.

See an image comparison of the two devices at this site. Based on the images, it's notable how similar some of the design features are.

In addition to the gigantic releases of both Samsung and Apple, Trusted Reviews noted that other phones expected to bow and make their debut include the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Huawei Ascend Mate 7 and Sony Xperia Z3, all of which are expected to make their debut during the IFA 2014 a week earlier.

What're your thoughts? Which soon-to-be released phone will you be upgrading to?