14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung I7500 is one phone that proves rumors can be trusted sometimes, as both Samsung and O2 announced officially that the first handset coming from the Korean mobile phone maker with Google's Android operating system would land in Germany as soon as June this year, shortly after some info on the device was leaked to the Web.
With the launch of the I7500, Samsung becomes one of the first three phone makers in the world to have an Android-powered device on the market, and the handset seems to be one of the nicest available, as it includes a 3.2-inch AMOLED full touch screen, along with 7.2Mbps HSDPA and WiFi connectivity, not to mention a great deal of mobile services that it supports.
“Samsung is among the earliest members of the Open Handset Alliance and has been actively moving forward to introduce the most innovative Android mobile phone,” said JK Shin, executive vice president and head of Mobile Communication Division in Samsung Electronics. “With Samsung’s accumulated technology leadership in mobile phone industry and our consistent strategy to support every existing operating system, I believe that Samsung provides the better choices and benefits to our consumers” he added.
The new Samsung I7500 can provide users with access to Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Google Calendar, and Google Talk, while its included GPS receiver provides support for My Location, Google Latitude, Street View, local search or detailed route description features available with Google Maps.
The specification list of the phone shows HSDPA 7.2Mbps, HSUPA 5.76Mbps (900 / 1700/ 2100MHz), EDGE / GPRS (850/ 900/1800/1900) connectivity, a 5-megapixel photo snapper with Auto Focus and Power LED, Video player with support for MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV file formats, audio player that supports MP3, AAC, AAC+, e-AAC+, WMA, RA and a Full Web Browser.
Other features include Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0, WiFi 802.11 b/g, MicroUSB, 3.5mm jack and an 8GB internal memory coupled with a MicroSD memory card slot with support for up to 32GB. The new Samsung I7500 measures 115 x 56 x 11.9mm and packs a 1,500 mAh battery, while the Android OS offers access to the Android Market, a software portal that enables users to find a wide range of applications to personalize their handset even more, or to be able to stay connected with friends via Facebook and Flickr or through instant messaging solutions.
“The Samsung I7500 offers our customers the best internet experience based on the Android platform,“ says Lutz Schüler, managing director, Marketing and Sales for Telefónica O2 Germany. “The Samsung I7500 kicks off a series of exciting devices for the mobile web which we will launch in the next couple of months. There is something for everyone: from beginners to heavy users. And, we put our focus on strong brands, simple use and design.”
When launched in June, the new Samsung I7500 will be available exclusively “in all O2 Shops, the specialized trade or on the Internet,” says the mobile phone carrier, while also adding that users willing to buy it will be able to opt for any tariff or data package they'd like, though no details on the price tag of the phone have been announced so far. After all, it might cost €300 as rumored.
