Samsung joins Apple, LG in the Touchscreen Phone War

Samsung Electronics Co., on Friday announced a new mobile phone that features a full-touch screen display occupying most of its front face and internet & media capabilities, apparently jumping into the smartphone market to take on Apple's much-hyped, yet to release, iPhone and LG's Prada Touch Screen Phone.

The Korean electronics giant, the third after Apple and LG to show a handset with such a design, said it will showcase its new revolutionary handset, the 'Ultra Smart F700' next week at 3GSM World Congress, the largest telecommunications event in Barcelona.

The F700 is an "Ultra Smart" cell phone that the company said compliments its Ultra handset portfolio. It will be the fourth member of Samsung's "Ultra" family of phones.

Samsung's revolutionary F700 features a stunning 2.8-inch 440x240 color display and technology that allows the user to download a digital music track in around 4.4 seconds. Media playback support includes multiple AAC audio formats, Real, and variants of MPEG-4 including H.264.

The device also contains a full QWERTY key pad tucked behind the screen. Samsung said the traditional QWERTY key pad that slides out at its base is "for users who are not yet familiar with a touch-screen-only user interface."

The new Ultra Smart F700, which measures 4.1 by 2.9 by 0.6 inches, slightly thicker than the iPhone, can also access the Internet, take pictures, show videos, handle e-mail and share photos, said Samsung.

Besides all, one notable feature in Samsung's innovation is its support for third-generation (3G) networks. Among the three handsets the F700 is the first that is compatible with 3G WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) in addition to conventional GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications).

Samsung's 3G technology is considerably faster than the iPhone's EDGE system. On 3G networks, it can receive data at up to 7.2Mbit/sec, capable of appealing enterprise level buyers and prosumers who need frequent access to email.

Packed with a 5-megapixel camera, Samsung's phone outclasses the iPhone's 2-megapixel camera. It will also feature a microSD slot for additional storage and Bluetooth support, said Samsung, the world's third-largest manufacturer of mobile phone handsets.

Samsung's device, though, seems better in most aspects compared to the LG K850 "Prada" and the Apple iPhone, but its comparatively short display is its disadvantage over rivals. F700 has 2.8 inches against 3 inches on the K850 and 3.5 inches on Apple's iPhone.

Apart from the small screen size difference, one more disadvantage will probably be its price. F700, featuring overall better specifications, seems to be more expensive than rival smartphones. However, Samsung has not yet decided when or where the phone will be launched nor how much the device would cost and which cellular operators will offer it.

The iPhone, which is due to release in June, has been priced at $499 for the lower end model and $599 for the higher end version, while the LG Prada phone is expected to carry a USD $770 price tag.

[Courtesy www.themoneytimes.com]

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Corporate Study Team,
IMERT, Pune