Samsung Electronics on Sunday announced the launch of the previously announced 'Soul' mobile phone, calling it the company's flagship product in the first half 2008. Beginning later this month (and next), the "Soul" will be available in France, UK, and Germany through major European mobile operators and in most of GSM supporting open markets. The tri-band phone features a 5-megapixel camera with a 4x digital zoom, face detection, image stabilizer and Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) as well as 7.2Mbps HSDPA data access for advanced 3G network support. Soul is available in three different colors: 'Sterling Steel,' 'Soul Gray' and 'Platinum Silver" for €400.

Showcased in Barcelona last February, Samsung says it named ‘Soul’ to honor the completion of its exclusive ‘Ultra Edition’ series with a full metal body and a premium finish and 12.9mm-thin form factor.

The slim, lightweight and stylish mobile phone offers a sleek combination of "highly styled design" and functionality, including advanced usability features that adapt to the user depending on the application: the navigation indicators on the keypad of the phone change according to the user’s needs, enabling simpler navigation of the menus simple, intuitive and direct, Samsung claims.

"The navigation panel’s icons change according to function. For example, when in music mode, music related icons will light up on the navigation indicators," the company said in a statement. "When in camera mode, camera related icons such as zoom and brightness icons will appear."