Samsung-built, Google-branded Android phones due later this year?

by Joshua Topolsky, posted Feb 19th 2008 at 12:37PM

According to man-about-town, Robert X. Cringely, Samsung is readying not one, but two separate Android-based phones, one of which is due in September, with another model following around Christmas. If you believe what you read (and what his tipster says), these phones will not be labeled Samsung, rather they will be released as Google-branded gPhones. The model released in the Fall will be a "higher-end" model which apparently looks "somewhat like a Blackberry Pearl" but with a screen that flips and "a keyboard for texting" (though to be honest, that description makes little sense, as the Pearl has a keyboard). The second device will be a cheaper model (under $100), and will likely be released after the holidays. Of course, right now this is just speculation -- given the large gap of time between now and September, these plans could be completely rearranged or nixed altogether... even if they are accurate.

[Via IntoMobile]

Filed under: Handsets, Samsung, Android

Tags: android, google, google phone, GooglePhone, gphone, robert x cringely, RobertXCringely, rumor, samsung, speculation

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Highly Ranked

Nathan @ Feb 19th 2008 1:08PM

So is Engadget Mobile going to get any exclusive content at all? Seems like every post here is just a clone of a post at Engadget proper. I like the idea of EngMo but it seems like unnecessary overhead.

Neutral

Dave @ Feb 19th 2008 5:22PM

if AT&T is going to be the carrier hosting these phones don't plan on seeing either before 2009. Pushbacks anyone? (Tilt, Vu, etc)

Neutral

storino03 @ Feb 19th 2008 2:50PM

I guess they find it hard to separate one blog section from the other and end up placing them in both, even though they are essentially the same company.

BTW, that phone is ugly.

--James

Neutral

eater of babies @ Feb 19th 2008 4:11PM

you idiot thats a not an actual phone

Neutral

Kunikos @ Feb 19th 2008 7:22PM

It looks like a very slightly modified (soft-key icons and OS) Samsung i780, actually.

Neutral

john @ Feb 19th 2008 3:09PM

Bleh. Take the keyboard off of the face, put it on a side-slide, move the other buttons down the bottom of the face, and enlarge the screen to fill the rest of the space. Oh, and, dump the stylus.

Last, make sure it can do bluetooth DUN and FTP. MicroSDHC memory card would be nice too. Let me know when the T-mobile 3G version ships.

Highest Ranked

gareth @ Feb 19th 2008 3:48PM

And a pony, I want it to come with a pony..

Neutral

Kunikos @ Feb 19th 2008 7:21PM

It should spit out kittanz

Highest Ranked

robinsmad @ Feb 19th 2008 4:12PM

They probably mean a full QWERTY keyboard, and not SureType like the Pearl.

Also, where did this image come from? It's not at the source or any other articles about this. Did you guys just paste a bunch of Google stuff on another phone?

Highly Ranked

rpa @ Feb 19th 2008 6:20PM

It's a photoshopped i780.

Highest Ranked

robinsmad @ Feb 19th 2008 6:24PM

Thanks. I was trying to figure out the model.

And now I have to ask: Why? It doesn't even match the guy's description (e.g. flipping screen). Engadget does this all the time, and it does little but misdirect people.

Neutral

Howard @ Feb 19th 2008 8:13PM

I'm guessing that by "a keyboard for texting" they mean a *real* keyboard with a dedicated key for each letter.

Neutral

Alijah @ Feb 19th 2008 11:02PM

Full QWERTY,
like robinsmad said.
But hey thanks for contributing though

Neutral

Howard @ Feb 19th 2008 11:20PM

Yeah, I posted this at like 1:30 and didn't check my email for the confirmation until 8...

Neutral

narutouzumaki16 @ Feb 22nd 2008 1:27PM

if it is based on the i780, isnt that slightly close to the BJ2? so theoretically, you could have an android-based BJ2? that would be interesting

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