Everyone’s going ga-ga over Samsung’s latest flagship phone. People from all over the world were dying to know more about this mystery phone, weaving rumors left and right and now that the phone is here, the excitement has really reached its peak.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 may not have landed in your area yet, but other people in more fortunate corners of the globe are enjoying the device’s awesome specs. Who could blame you for being impatient?

We’re itching to get our hands on this beauty, too, but since good things come to those who wait, we’ve settled for something to tide us over. It may not be the actual device, but getting to experience the Galaxy S3′s TouchWiz UX Launcher on your Samsung Galaxy S2 GT-I9100 is a suitable compromise.

Thanks to senior member xator91 of XDA Developers, Galaxy S2 users can enjoy the Galaxy S3′s gorgeous TouchWiz UX Launcher. You can enjoy features such as the ability to organize apps by name, choose a default homescreen, and much more.

The port reportedly works on ICS-based custom ROMs (e.g., AOKP, AOSP, and CyanogenMod 9), as well as stock Samsung ROMs.  It may also work on the Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000 but the developers have given no guarantees.

Warnings

• The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the Samsung Galaxy S2, model number GT-I9100.  Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
• The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only.  There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
• Use these instructions at your own risk.  We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
• Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions.

Requirements

• A rooted Samsung Galaxy S2 running on an AOSP, AOKP, or CyanogenMod 9 custom ROM and with ClockworkMod Recovery installed.
  • Check our guide on how to root the Samsung Galaxy S2 GT-I9100 and install ClockworkMod Recovery.
• Backup all personal data on your phone to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
  • For backup tips, check our guides on how to sync your data to the cloud and how to create local backups of your mobile data.
• Download the TouchWiz UX Launcher package (TouchWizUX-180dpi,240dpi – by XaToR 1.1.zip, 2.1 MB).

Instructions

1. Copy the TouchWiz UX Launcher package to the root of your Galaxy S2′s internal SD card.
2. Turn off the phone.
3. Boot into Recovery Mode by pressing and holding down the Volume Up, Home, and Power buttons. When the screen turns on, let go of all three buttons.
4. Select Install ZIP from SD Card.
5. Select Choose ZIP from SD Card and select the TouchWiz UX Launcher package.
6. After installation is complete, select Go Back.
7. Select Reboot System Now.

Congratulations! Your Samsung Galaxy S2 GT-I9100 is now running the Galaxy S3′s TouchWiz UX Launcher. Let that tide you over until the Galaxy S3 lands in your area and in your hands. Enjoy!