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Samsung earlier today announced an ambitious launch for its Galaxy S i9000 handset. Though many cell phones launch in one country and with one carrier at a time, over 100 wireless providers from around the world have agreed to offer the device including, as we’ve guessed earlier, the four key players here in the United States.
As a reminder, the Galaxy S is powered by Android 2.1 and features a blazing fast 1GHz processor. The four-inch super AMOLED display, which is by far the sharpest I’ve seen on a smartphone to date, makes other devices looked washed out in comparison.
Other features include Samsung’s TouchWiz 3.0 user interface, a 5-megapixel camera, and a front-facing camera to allow for video calling. Among the pre-loaded apps are Swype, Tele Atlas, and the popular augmented reality browser, Layar. Samsung has also taken time to create a Daily Briefing widget, which offers up instant access to weather, news, stocks, and your calendar.
The Galaxy S is available immediately for select European carriers and a full, worldwide rollout is expected later this summer. We’ve yet to hear when the device will arrive in the United States, but I suspect the day is fast approaching. Samsung pegged the phone with a “summer” release when it unviled the handset at CTIA back in March. Delaying it too much could impact sales as new, more powerful phones seem to arrive every few weeks.
As much as I loved the Galaxy S upon its debut, I already see where it lacks when compared to phones like HTC’s last few devices. Yes, the 5-megapixel camera is terrific, but it lacks a flash. Released last month, Verizon’s Droid Incredible boasts an 8 megapixel camera and dual LED flash. Also, the Galaxy S features inter-device connectivity through DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) whereas the EVO 4G offers the more common HDMI output.
As of today it’s one of the most anticipated phones of the summer. Hopefully at least one US carrier releases the phone before it loses its luster and we end up with another Xperia X10 situation on our hands.
