Samsung SCH-M470, the First Smartphone With HSUPA

Samsung, currently the second largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world, behind Nokia, today unveiled Samsung SCH-M470, a new handset that supports HSUPA connectivity.

As the first HSUPA smartphone, Samsung SCH-M470 (or simply Samsung M470) offers higher data upload speeds than the devices which feature HSDPA connectivity, and allows users to upload content at about 2 Mbps. This is a very useful feature for all those who interact a lot with the Web while on the go and have to upload content on a daily basis.

Samsung SCH-M470 is a slider that looks quite nice, with metallic finishes, a large, centered navigation key and a keypad that seems very user-friendly. The phone is a bit big in its width though, which wouldn't have been a problem if Samsung had integrated a larger display into it (unfortunately the screen has only about 2 inches).

There are not too many known technical details about the new Samsung smartphone, but we do know that it runs on Windows Mobile 6.0 and, besides HSUPA, it comes with Wi-Fi connectivity, Integrated Google search application, push-email, Bluetooth 2.0 and a 2 Megapixel camera (which has become a common feature for entry-level devices, hence it can't bring too much excitement). The handset also supports mobile TV, as most of the new devices that are launched in South Korea or Japan, but I'm not sure how good the viewing experience can be with that not so large display.

Samsung SCH M470 is now available in South Korea for retail prices starting 600,000 Won (about 615 USD or 390 Euro). No word yet about the handset's future availability on other markets, but it would be kind of unfair if Europe and the US wouldn't be able to get it too.