14 DAY TRIAL // Korean-based wired/wireless telecommunication service provider KT stated recently that it planned on launching on its airwaves two new mobile phones that would include Wi-Fi connectivity and would be powered by Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system, namely the LG Lilac and the Samsung Prism. Both devices are to become available with the carrier before the end of the ongoing year.
The first of the new mobile phones, LG Lilac, should boast support for Wi-Fi and for WCDMA, the company stated. This would be the second smartphone from the South Korean handset maker LG Electronics that becomes available via KT, following the availability of LG Incite (LG-KU2000). According to WMPoweruser, although there are no details on whether the handset will reach other markets besides Korea, there are great chances that LG will deliver its phone to more countries in the near future.
The Samsung Prism, also Windows Mobile-based, should come as the second WiMAX-enabled handset from the phone maker. At the same time, the phone will also be the second Samsung smartphone to operate on KT's network, after the Samsung Mirage (SPH-M4800). The connectivity options of Prism extend outside of the WiMAX area, as WCDMA and Wi-Fi have been also included in the package. The phone is expected to become available in 2009, and BGR says that it might be launched on other markets as well, starting with early 2010.
Since the availability of LG Lilac and Samsung Prism outside Korea is mere speculation at the moment, we should mention that KT also said that an Android phone would come to its network next year. The company has only two Windows Mobile smartphones on sale, both mentioned above, and is also said to plan on launching Apple's popular iPhone in 2009, along with an application store for its subscribers, the 'SHOW App Store', which is set to open come November.