Samsung's new I7500 Android phone landing Q3 in the UK
Out-specs the HTC Magic
Samsung has finally managed to do what everyone else has been threatening by announcing its first Android phone, set to debut in the UK in Q3.
The I7500 is a 3.2-inch touchscreen effort, using the company's OLED technology seen in the likes of the Omnia HD and the recent Tocco Ultra Edition.
Not only that, but it's packing the latest version of Android, meaning the usual tight integration of Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Calendar and Talk.
It also trumps the HTC Magic by managing to squeeze a 5MP camera on the handset (with flash) as well as finding the space to pop on a 3.5mm headphone jack, so no need for cumbersome adaptors, yet still shaving 2mm off the Magic's chassis size at 11.9mm.
Memory, all alone in the moonlight...
There's also 8GB of internal memory, with the option to upgrade via a microSD card should that not be enough space.
O2 has apparently picked up this handset in Germany, but given that the I7500 is not coming unitl Q3 in the UK and 'from June in major European countries', O2's line is thus:
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"Telefónica was a founder member of the Open Handset Alliance established by Google last year and is therefore supportive of this initiative.
"As always we want to offer our customers the best range of devices and services, and those that provide the best customer experience. We will therefore take a view on all handsets incorporating the Google Android system based on these criteria."
Read into that what you will, but if O2 suddenly announced a press launch event in the UK at the end of May, we wouldn't be the most surprised people in the world.
Gareth has been part of the consumer technology world in a career spanning three decades. He started life as a staff writer on the fledgling TechRadar, and has grew with the site (primarily as phones, tablets and wearables editor) until becoming Global Editor in Chief in 2018. Gareth has written over 4,000 articles for TechRadar, has contributed expert insight to a number of other publications, chaired panels on zeitgeist technologies, presented at the Gadget Show Live as well as representing the brand on TV and radio for multiple channels including Sky, BBC, ITV and Al-Jazeera. Passionate about fitness, he can bore anyone rigid about stress management, sleep tracking, heart rate variance as well as bemoaning something about the latest iPhone, Galaxy or OLED TV.