Some folks seem to think that smartphones are signaling the end of the personal media player. Apple proves them wrong every year with a new iteration of the iPod Touch and iPod Nano. Samsung has their own line of media players as well and it’s receiving a massive update this fall.

Before the IFA kicks off later this week, Samsung announced the Galaxy Player 5.8. The name is in reference to the device’s huge 5.8-inch screen. Unfortunately, the resolution is set at a paltry 960×540. It will do the job, but Samsung could have made it much better.

Even if the resolution is a little weak, the device’s innards seem sufficient. It will sport Android 4.0 and Samsung’s TouchWiz UI. There will be a 16GB or 32GB option which can be expanded through a microSD slot. It also features a front VGA camera for video conferencing.

I’m surprised that Samsung didn’t hold off on the announcement of the Galaxy Player 5.8 due to the recent loss against Apple in U.S. court. It seems like Samsung would want to rethink their releases for the year to make sure they don’t infringe upon Apple’s exclusive ownership of the rectangle. It’s nice to see that Samsung isn’t letting the verdict get them down as they prepare to show off their new hardware at the upcoming IFA trade show.

There has been no word on price or availability as of yet. We’re sure to hear more at IFA this week. Samsung will most likely have more to announce at the show as well. The Galaxy Player 5.8 can’t be the only thing they have in store this week. We’ll be sure to keep an eye on the show for all the latest consumer electronics that Samsung, HTC and others will be announcing.