Samsung preps i718 Windows Mobile smartphone
updated 09:30 am EST, Thu December 7, 2006
Samsung i718 Smartphone
Samsung used its presence at the ITU Telecom expo to reveal the i718, one of the company's few Windows Mobile smartphones as well as one of the few phones launched first for the Chinese market. A more advanced parallel to the E890, the i718 shares a common reliance on a touchscreen for input -- an essential feature for the handwriting recognition needed in China -- but enhances virtually every feature. While Windows Mobile provides easier access to office documents, the display has been enlarged to 2.8 inches, and the camera in turn has been upgraded to a 2-megapixel sensor. Samsung has also added explicit playback support for videos, including MPEG-4 and WMV.
Notably, the phone is a quad-band GSM phone, allowing its use in North America as well as in China and most other cellphone-aware companies. Samsung has not detailed plans for the handset outside of China but has recently obtained FCC approval for the device, paving the way for a later release in the US. A profile photo follows after the jump.
