Penny Mobiles – Mobile phone news, reviews & information

When Samsung announced the Bada operating system, many believed that the Korean phone manufacturer would be so focused on their proprietary operating system that they would slow down in the production of smart phones for other mobile platforms. However, it seems that the general assumption was quite wrong and Samsung is making plenty of mobile handsets for the Google Android operating system.

With the launch of the i7500 Galaxy last year, Samsung has begun its series of high end devices that would be making use of the open source mobile platform. The device would later be followed up by the Galaxy Lite (also known as the Galaxy Spica) and now, the series is expanding with many new handsets added to the list.

First to join the ranks is the Samsung i9000 Galaxy S which is basically the Korean manufacturer’s answer to the Nexus One and the HTC Desire This smart phone not only matches the 1GHz CPU and 5 mega pixel camera, but they also bring in their new super AMOLED capacitive touch screen display. According to recent reports, there will be a Samsung Galaxy S Pro smart phone that will be released soon and that the phone will come with a slide out QWERTY keyboard.

Speaking of super AMOLED capacitive touch screen displays, the Galaxy Tape is set to have the largest one around at 7 inches. The Galaxy Tape is considered to be a tablet despite having phone call capabilities. With the Android 2.2 Froyo, a front facing camera and a better resolution display, this is perfect answer to the Apple iPad.

Aside from high end devices, the Galaxy series is also offering more common midrange phones like the Galaxy Apollo which was recently put in a teaser by Orange Mobile UK. The device is the same as the Samsung Galaxy 3 though the two have different number designations. Last on the list is a Corby Galaxy smart phone, the i5500 Galaxy 5.

According to recent reports, there are two new additions to Samsung’s Galaxy series of mobile phones. The first is a mid range handset that is a lot like a super upgraded Corby handset, while the other is a massive tablet device that still keeps mobile phone features.

First off, the i5801 Galaxy Apollo; this new handset has been shown off at the Orange Mobile UK website, though the full details have yet to be confirmed. So far, it has been revealed that the smart phone will come with the new Android 2.1 Éclair open source mobile platform, a 3.15 mega pixel snapper and a decent sized 3.2 inch TFT capacitive touch screen display. Overall, it is very HTC Legend like, though it could use a better 5 mega pixel camera and the super AMOLED touch screen which will be used in the i9000 Galaxy S.

While a release date and CPU details have yet to be revealed, expect to see Orange get a semi exclusive version of this smart phone (or possibly even full exclusivity of the device itself).

Last week, Samsung also showed the tech industry that it has been busy planning for the upcoming tablet wars. With the successful launch of the Apple iPad last May, it is no longer a surprise that other companies want a share of the tablet market, and being armed with Google’s Android OS is certainly a great plan.

The new Galaxy Tab has a 7 inch touch screen display. While it is slightly smaller than the iPad (which has a 9.7 inch screen), the Galaxy Tab has a feature that the iPad can never match, the ability to make calls. This is why the Samsung Galaxy Tab is still considered as a smart phone despite its very tablet-like features.

Korean manufacturer Samsung has yet to confirm when the device would be in production, but many tablet fans are hoping to try out the device very soon.

Currently, the largest mobile network operator in the UK is the Vodafone –and judging by the company’s powerful 3G network which has been able to sustain many iPhone users and even attract iPhone users from other networks to switch (namely from O2), they have the established themselves on the forefront of the mobile telecommunications in Europe. While they are large, they do not control the industry. One possible merger has the potential to do so.

A few months back, talks between Orange UK and T-Mobile UK have come to an agreement that the two major network operators would merge. The resulting merger would create a network larger than Vodafone; the largest network in UK and possibly second only to China Mobile in the whole world.

Of course, the creation of such a powerful merger is not always welcomed by the industry. Competitors fearing major losses due to the presence of such a powerful player are obviously against the merger. The Office of Fair Trading has filed for a full investigation of the merger by British authorities.

Despite the merger already having been scrutinized in Brussels by regulators, the OFT, and Ofcom, the tentative February merger of the two companies has been put into another delay.

Meanwhile the merger also places 3 mobile in a very tight spot. Kevin Russell has stated that since 3 mobile relies on T-Mobile’s network, if the merger does not have provisions for 3, then their company would not be able to properly compete in the telecommunications industry.

Once merger pushes through, it would give T-Mobile and Orange the largest mobile phone spectrum in the region –which is one of the main reasons why the merger is being investigated; the upcoming merger would be able to control the telecommunications industry in the UK.

For more details and information on the merger and its possible ramifications on the telecommunications industry, go straight to the Guardian UK.