Samsung I7500 with OLED touchscreen powered by Android, dreams
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Apr 27th 2009 5:49AM
posted Apr 27th 2009 5:49AM
Anticipated for months, Samsung's first Android phone is finally a (paper) reality after being flushed through the rumor mill just hours ago. Launching "in major European countries from June," the 11.9-mm slim quad-band GSM, tri-band 7.2Mbps HSDPA (900/1700/2100MHz) candybar packs a 3.2-inch, 320 x 480 pixel AMOLED touchscreen, WiFi, GPS, 5 megapixel camera with Power LED, 1,500mAh battery, 8GB of storage (plus MicroSD expansion for up to 32GB more), and a standard 3.5mm heasdset jack. Step aside HTC, you had your chance, let's all welcome Samsung to the Android party. Another picture and full press release after the break.
P.S. Although no US announcements have been made, that 1700MHz HSPA frequency could make T-Mobile USA customers very happy.
P.S. Although no US announcements have been made, that 1700MHz HSPA frequency could make T-Mobile USA customers very happy.
April 27, 2009, Seoul, Korea - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a leading mobile phone provider, today unveiled the I7500, its first Android-powered mobile phone. With a launch of I7500, Samsung became the first company among the global top three mobile phone manufacturers to unveil an Android-powered phone.
"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 Samsung I7500 is a cutting-edge smartphone, featuring a 3.2" AMOLED full touch screen and 7.2Mbps HSDPA and WiFi connectivity, giving users access to Google™ Mobile services and full web browsing at blazing speeds.
The Samsung I7500 offers users access to the full suite of Google services, including Google Search™, Google Maps™, Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Calendar™, and Google Talk™. The integrated GPS receiver enables the comprehensive use of Google Maps features, such as My Location, Google Latitude, Street View, local search and detailed route description. Hundreds of other applications are available in Android Market. For example, the application Wikitude, a mobile travel guide, allows consumers to access details of unknown sights via location-based Wikipedia articles.
Based on Samsung's proven product leadership, Samsung I7500 comes with latest multimedia features. The large and vivid 3.2"AMOLED display ensures the brilliant representation of multimedia content and enjoyable full touch mobile experience. Along with supporting a 5-megapixel camera and various multimedia codec formats, the I7500 also provides a long enough battery life (1500mAh) and generous memory capacity up to 40GB (Internal memory: 8GB, External memory: Up to 32GB) to enjoy all the applications and multimedia content. The phone also boasts its slim and compact design with mere 11.9mm thickness.
The Samsung I7500 will be available in major European countries from June, 2009.
HSDPA 7.2Mbps / HSUPA 5.76Mbps (900 / 1700/ 2100MHz)
EDGE / GPRS (850/ 900/1800/1900)
OS
Android
Display
3.2" HVGA(320x480) AMOLED
Camera
5 MP Camera (Auto Focus), Power LED
Video / Audio
Video: MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV
Audio: MP3, AAC, AAC+, e-AAC+, WMA, RA
Value Added
Features
Full Web Browser Google Search, Maps, Gmail,
YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Android Market
Connectivity
Bluetooth® 2.0, USB 2.0, WiFi, MicroUSB, 3.5mm ear jack
Memory
Internal memory: 8GB
External memory: Micro SD (Up to 32GB)
Battery
1500 mAh
Size
115 x 56 x 11.9mm
* Google, Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Google Calendar, Google Talk are trademarks of Google Inc.
At last, a nice looking Android handset!
yeah...but too bad it doesn't have a physical keyboard. i'm seriously addicted to it, i've yet to meet a phone where i can 'no look' type with using a virtual keyboard and not making that many mistakes.
on a side note, anyone familiar w/ AMOLED displays and what the benefit is with active matrix. i wiki'd it last nite but they just explain the tech, not really the benefits over a typical TFT display.
wow...i guess this shows how lady i was last nite, didn't even finished readings it:
Advantages
AMOLED displays fabricated on flexible plastic substrates have the following advantages:
* Very thin and lighter weight
* Greatly minimized propensity for breakage
* Lower-power, highly rugged with superior image quality, and low cost compared to the current LCD displays
* Due to their inherent ruggedness, allow a unique form factor of conformability and rollability during use, transportation and storage
Disadvantages
The display is very difficult to view in sunlight.
Damn! And I was about to buy myself a new phone! Will have to wait till June...
What, no ugly chin?...... Dang it!!!
Yeah, except it is not being launched in America -- at least initially.
Does it have a headphone jack?
If not, we have another HTC-style blunder and failure.
cnet are reporting that there will be a 3.5mm socket
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/0,39029453,49302111,00.htm
cnet are reporting it will have a 3.5mm socket!
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/0,39029453,49302111,00.htm
If it has built in radio then it is really nice device.
It wouldn't be much of a phone if it didn't include some kind of radio ;)
I think he was talking about an FM radio. ;)
Isn't it quite obvious? ;)
FM?! what age do we live in? internet radio! fm is so 20th century
I was going to say that FM is for listening to TV at the gym. But listening to music at the gym is much better.
Not without a headphone jack.
"FM?! what age do we live in? internet radio! fm is so 20th century"
... FM radio is a tried and tested radio format. Internet radio is absolutely unnecessary if the stations you want are in FM.
DAB radio would be nice to put in phones, but they'll never do it.
Hmm, I think I may just hold off on getting a Touch HD then...
I wish I could, but I do alot of work on my phone (full exchange support, activesync, document editing) are all important for a business users and android just started doing document editing and supports parts of exchange. I know it will work out in time, until then I am stuck with WM 6.1, thank god the good folks at XDAdev do so much for HTC! htc HD does a great job of making a phone a tool and a toy :-D
Finally a Android phone with 5 mega pixel & led FLASH thank you, good by HTC, you had Android all to your self & you missed your opportunity, why buy a HTC magic with a 3.2 mega pixel camera & no flash???
Maybe some people don't think the camera is that important, unlike you. Your suggestion that HTC has done it completely wrong by not adding a better camera is absolute rubbish. Besides, judging a camera by the ammount of megapixels it has is the most stupid thing to do. The 3,2MP might as well be better than a 5MP on most phones, as factors like the lens, the ammount of optical zoom and much more TOGETHER with the ammount of megapixels decide the quality of the camera.
Every knows that megapixels don’t really matter after 3.2 but having a flash (even if it is led) does matter that’s what’s wrong with HTC I would be happy to have a 32 megapixel with a Flash although 5 megapixel with Flash is a lot better especially if you zoom in which is a digital zoom.
I think the biggest advantage Samsung has over HTC is the 3.5 jack. WTF is wrong with HTC including it in some devices(Treo Pro, Touch HD) but not others(Diamond 2, G1)?
@ Nick
HTC didn't get it wrong because of the camera, they got it wrong because generally the handset was cheap and plasticy, exclusing of a 3.5mm jack and on top of that a pretty basic camera.
Samsung has all their bases covered and i can't wait for this phone now :)
You're right. The camera in my G1 is the most useless piece of shit because of the lack of flash. My last 2 phones were HTC and i'm tired of the horrid battery life and crappy cameras they put into their phones.
I'll be standing in line with cash in hand if and when this Samsung comes to Tmobile. Judging by the 3G frequencies, it has a pretty good chance of making it to Tmo US.
Megapixels? Come on! The resolution doesn't make any damned difference when the images are a mass of NOISE. Noise is the primary issue with all of these cameras, and in fact with ANY digital camera. A clean 3-megapixel image would handily kick the ass of any 5-megapixel image of the quality that typically comes from any phone.
Stop clamoring for more marketing bullshit and demand real QUALITY improvements. Next thing you'll be asking for is "20X zoom!"
Fair enough the 3.2MP vs 5MP argument is pointless, but Samsung have lot more experience with digital cameras than their competitors do. They make their own digicams and produce practically all of the components excluding the lens which is done by a 3rd party (Schneiderk Kreuznach). Samsung were also one of the first (if not, the first) company to cram a 3x optical zoom in a mobile phone camera.
So, I'd still take Samsung over the HTC any day. The LED flash alone is a winner, they double as a very handy (and bright) torch on the go.
And another bland/generic looking Android device...at least this one gets the basics right.
I know, a phone which is just a big metal slab with a screen on the front and a couple of buttons? Who the heck would be stupid enough to design a phone that way. It should have some chase lights and tassles.
Oh, sarcasm. Bravo, sir!
There's something in between bland and gaudy LED nightmare, you know?
Well, this phone's more important than that: it's really the start of Android. Until now, it's only been on one device on one carrier. Now it can really expand and start eating in to WinMo's market share.
That said, I really wish this one had a QWERTY keyboard. I'm looking for a good phone with a large proper keyboard: the Pre's keyboard looks pathetic and annoying (I'll have to try it to be sure though), and the G1 just feels like dated technology and doesn't have a 3.5mm jack.
My iPhone contract is coming up for a renewal and I'd like a new handset if possible. The new iPhone isn't likely to change much, so I can keep my 3G for any iPhone needs. I'd like a new handset, and I'm curious about Android. This handset, without a keyboard, just isn't right. At least for me.
I wish you people would learn to quit feeding the trolls. You're not helping.
Will this have the nice multitouch for zooming, panning, etc as seen in that video posted a while back?
Because those are such important functions in a phone. Give me a break.
Have you used the iPhone browser? Once you realize that you can double-tap in an area to zoom it optimally (a great feature), you never dick around with the pinching and squeezing.
Multitouch is an overhyped gimmick that hasn't been shown doing jack diddly that's truly useful and efficient.
Yo, ever heard of shitty webdesign? Some sites on the webernets are still designed without any real blocks of text that Safari can lock on to.
Multitouch opens up a bunch of cool possibilities, it's not something that definately SHOULDN'T be in a device only because it's in the iPhone, which, as can be seen among these comments, is a rather unpopular device amongst techie commons.
Did I miss something? Since when does Android play WMV and WMA?
Dunno, but I don't doubt that it's probable. Linux codecs for wma and wmv have existed forever and Android is Linux under the hood.
Yeah.
And BTW : assuming anyone can develop any app on Android, is there the slightest chance that someone puts up a nice Audio player which supports .ogg ? ( a great part of my library is in .ogg)
forever? I play wmv files all the time on my G1... of course it's got Android 1.5 so maybe that's part of it, but I'm pretty sure I could play wmvs before cupcake...
Awesome!
If it's a good price I'm snapping one up.
I prefer the Samsung i8910. Better screen, better camera, more storage.
The I7500 has the capability for more storage.
I7500: 8GB (32GB Max @ Card)
I8910: 8/16GB (16GB Max @ Card)
Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_i8910_omnia_hd-2691.php
The i8910 will support 32GB cards. It adheres to the SDHC spec.
You missed the point of this phone.
Hint: The OS!
Android really isn't anything special though. It has a lot of potential but at the moment it's no better than the competition.
Awesome! My current contract ends in July so I'm really looking forward to this. I didn't like the looks of the G1 too much and this looks pretty good! However, I don't like not having a real keypad , I'm not a huge fan of touch screens on phones.
I guess there's no word about what networks it'll be on in the UK?
In the UK: HTC G1 on T-Mobile (already), HTC Magic on Vodafone (confirmed), and I7500 on O2 (rumoured).
I'm acually getting used to virtual keyboards.
After using ChompSMS so much...its very easy!
OMGOMGOMG!!! THIS IS SO AWESOME!
Hmm... ok after looking at this more I'm a bit disappointed. What I want to be added:
- slideout KEYBOARD
- Xenon flash
- higher res screen, either nHD or WVGA
How about this:
-Any carrier but T-Moblie?
They are awful in my area and I would never give my soul to them for 2 years.
Looks like I could be trying to pick up an unlocked one on eBay or something as my contract doesn't expire until September but damn I want this phone! It looks like the Android phone that should have been present at launch. Plus overall this looks like one of the best phones i've seen in recent times.
Or, to put it in another way:
Hommana Hommana Hommana Hommana Hommana Hommana Hommana Hommana.
Unless the new iPhone is greatly improved I will be ditiching my 3G for one of these.
All I would ask for is a slider version, so I can have tactile feedback on the number pad. (No need for a keyboard, more the the new Tocco)
But this phone is pretty slick :P
That looks lovely! Simple, functional design. Bring on the Android OLEDs. :)
VFN
...why are you comparing it to the iphone?
did the iphone suddenly become the benmark for phones, like crisis?
I've always hated that Samsung dpad.
what the weight of this phone? i hope it is as light as htc magic will be. im thinking of cancelling my magic pre-order. i hope this one lands on O2 in the UK. is it capacitive touch screen or resistive?
That's exactly I want to know. If this is resistive, no way am i getting this.
Probably capacitive. Samsung's been going after capacitive OLED displays with great vigour lately.
Capacitive - http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_i7500-2791.php
Light? You're worried about the weight of a PHONE? You need to log off and get to the gym. NOW.
Most people equate light with cheap, for good reason. For example, if that screen is plastic, it's worthless. It'll soon be a scratched-up mess.
I really really really hate that clock.
I love android but I fucking hate that widget clock
Well, then get rid of it. Nobody's holding a gun to your head to keep it =P
Agreed, and when cupcake comes out you can download one of the 3 bajillion other clock apps that I'm sure will be filling up the market.
you can customize anything on android (including that clock)
ever heard of Open home or Ahome, or even cupcake i think provides custom widget compatibility,
And thats the real beauty of Android; its not run by scared tyrants (ahem apple) so anything on it can be improved or replaced by 3rd party apps. Almost anything short of hardware issues is upgradable.
HAHAHA YES!
I didn't know more people felt this way :D
WTF? Spec wise the iPhone is shit.
All it has over other devices is iPhone OS and the app store (which most other OS's are getting now).
Other than that, the iPhone is restricted to fuck by Apple.
oliver.daw@gmail.com you deserve to be spammed
Please be available sim free I have a business contract that pays the line rental & calls but the phones are rubbish so I buy my own phones I really want a Android phone & this is the business when will a sim free one be available as long as it is less than £400 I will buy this phone (off contract).
SIM FREE Please.
Lol. ALL CAPS MAKES YOU KING OF THE INTERNET. The Iphone is horribly crippled (they JUST enabled A2DP! Still no cut and paste either, right?) and expensive (PAY for apps and shitty phone games?! give me a break!) compared to the two HTC phones I've owned. And as for build quality, I dropped, kicked and literally punched my 6700 several times. It's retired now, and looks hideous compared to anything out today, but every function on the phone still works after 5 years of serious abuse. My Mogul still chugs along just fine, with great apps that cost me nothing (ZSIRC, OneNote, palringo, wmwifirouter to name a few), awesome smooth running console emulators, and the thing plays age of empires and runs a PS1 emulator at full speed for cryin out loud!
Ok, so much for the Iphone.
I actually kind of like Samsung, but again you want to talk build quality? Samsung makes some of the sorriest built phones I've ever seen. The Blackjacks (1 and 2) were both made of cheap feeling plastic that made them seem like toys, and break easily when dropped.
HVGA.... FTL!
So.. it's gorgeous, it gets the specs right (including the possibility of awesome amounts of storage), and it's made by a company known for decent hardware?
I'm impressed.
Gimme all the AMOLED I can get baby, that stuff will blow your MIND! Good job Sammy, let's get a hardware QWERTY into an upcoming model similar to this, and you might have me flip the bird to HTC.
Hmm, no mention of capacative screen anywhere in that article or press release. Anyone know if it is capacative?
Awesome phone but...
Everyone bend over and grab your ankles, the price on this phone is going to hurt.
-.-
It will cost about 300 euros... (Excluding taxes that is)
It ticks alot of boxes.
How's Androids Media player now days? Gotta be able to play podcasts.
if this arrives in Saudi Arabia soon, I will ditch my 5800 in a heartbeat
Lets hope the camera is better than the one on the Omnia I900, the one on the omnia is excellent outside in the day light but bring it indoors or at night & it is rubbish.
YES!!!!!
Well IMO this is yet another butt ugly Samsung device, sorry but the HTC Magic looks WAY cooler then this thing. Yes it has great specs, but take it out your pocket and no one is gonna give a crap about it....... Like every other Samsung.
Still at least one other manufacturer has now comitted to Android with a confirmed device.
Then again my mum has a Samsung, is Android as easy to use as the iPhone?
Are we still buying phones only because they're "cool" looking?
And if you can drag, drop, click on a computer, you can use Android.
Market is similar to App Store...so if you can use the Store, you can use the Market.
Android is simplicity at its best.
Automatic OTA updates, automatic app updates, simple desktop organization, simple app storage.
Cheers for the info mate.
I just said IMO, I find Samsung's current design strategy really boring? The Tocco Ultra is nice but the rest are just boring?
But you can guarantee that this Samsung will be sold sim free and unlocked, unlike the Magic.
Android Community has uncovered a few photographs of the handset.
http://androidcommunity.com/samsung-i7500-live-photos-20090427/
Kind of blurry and 'fingerprinty', but the screen looks mighty impressive.
loving the 3.5mm jack. i can only hope other manufacturers learn to include this..
but no secondary camera for videocalls?
Video or it didnt happen!
Oliver, do you know what the Palm Pre is?
It's 8.41am. I just woke up a few minutes ago but not sure of the reality. I think I'm dreaming... SAMSUNG is going to flip a finger to lovely at&t by not including their WCDMA and instead will support T-Mobile....it's a miracle
Oh darn , I guess they'll all have to get iPhones ,what a burden,.,.NOT!
I'm digging the D-pad, I absolutely hate trackballs. Not sure how I feel about the menu button being on the side of the phone instead of on the face, though. It gets used quite a bit.
It also appears to be missing a hardware search button, which will make many program's search-from-anywhere features inaccessible.
I just want phone with best ui,browser n music video player on a cell of all times . Not much is there a phone out there,?
Looks nice, but whats with the looks? It looks like a slider dumbphone from 2005 with the slider cut off. Ick. I guess all Android phones that come out ever will be ugly.
Looks decent and comes with AWS. Now I'm torn between this and the TP2.
Wow way more features than iPhone ,faster better screen,etc
Real question is ,will it kill iPhone,?
NOt
the only reason the iphone wont die is cause theres a lot of brainless, shiny loving mac users...
Hmmmm... I really don't get why people think this phone looks so much better than the Magic. It seems really weird to me to think the Magic looks ugly as sin and this one looks like a work of art. They look pretty similar to me in all honesty.
And having used an LED flash phone before, I don't really find it that useful. In fact, I find them pretty useless. In any situation where you would need the LED flash, the picture's probably going to come out crappy and unusable anyways.
That said if I were going to have to pick between the Magic and the Sammy... I really don't know what I'd pick. It'd come down to which was more important to me. The 3.5mm headjack or the trackball. I really would prefer the trackball to the d-pad, but I hate proprietary headphone jacks. Stupid HTC. I really wonder what their reasoning is.
Wow, HTC just got schooled....