Although Samsung has chosen to hold off on unveiling the Galaxy S III at the Mobile World Congress event this month, it looks like there may be some exciting news from the mobile phone giant after all. Here’s what we think might be happening:

Galaxy Nexus: The popular Galaxy Nexus might be receiving a slight upgrade. Rumors include a CPU bump to 1.5GHz (from 1.2GHz in the current model) and an increase in camera resolution to 8MP.

Galaxy S II Plus: The Galaxy S II may also get some attention in the form of a faster and slightly improved version known as the Galaxy S II Plus. It’s rumored to have a dual-core 1.5GHz processor and a 4.5” Super AMOLED Plus display, in contrast to the Galaxy S II’s dual-core 1GHz CPU and 4.3” screen.

Tablets: Reports have surfaced that two as-of-yet unannounced Samsung tablets have recently received Wi-Fi certification. One of these may also include a quad-core CPU, which would certainly be a step up for a mobile device.

These updates sound intriguing, although they are of course rumors and are wholly unsubstantiated by Samsung. The next few months could prove to be interesting for the company, especially with the recent news of Apple losing their bid to ban the Galaxy Tab 10.1N and Galaxy Nexus in Germany. We’ll definitely be watching Samsung’s presentation at the Mobile World Congress event later this month closely.

Security software company Symantec reports that 13 Android apps, including several listed in the official Android Market, contain what could be considered to be malware.

The malware in question is called “Android.Counterclank”, and Symantec claims it to be capable of harvesting user information and making unauthorized changes to a user’s Android device, such as adding bookmarks to the web browser. Users of the apps in question reported having a new search icon randomly added to their device’s home screen that displayed a page very similar to the Google search page when opened.

There is some disagreement as to whether or not Android.Counterclank should be classified as malware. Free, ad-supported apps are far from unusual in the Android Market, and ad networks are notorious for toeing the line between permissible advertising and invasion of user privacy. Lookout Security, which focuses on Android security issues, believes Symantec’s accusation to be overblown and stated that Counterclank’s behavior is mirrored by as many as 10 competing ad networks.

Here is a list of apps containing the Counterclank software:

• Counter Elite Force
• Counter Strike Ground Force
• CounterStrike Hit Enemy
• Heart Live Wallpaper
• Hit Counter Terrorist
• Stripper Touch girl
• Balloon Game
• Deal & Be Millionaire
• Wild Man
• Pretty women lingerie puzzle
• Sexy Girls Photo Game
• Sexy Girls Puzzle
• Sexy Women Puzzle

Although Android.Counterclank may turn out to not be especially damaging, it serves as a reminder to be aware of what you choose to download on your smartphone or tablet. And be honest with yourself: is “Sexy Women Puzzle” really worth having if it comes with free malware?