Samsung Vibrant 4G spotted with Android 2.3
updated 10:10 pm EST, Mon January 17, 2011
Samsung Vibrant 4G seen with Gingerbread
Samsung's upcoming Vibrant 4G was seen in person for the first time Monday night with a surprise OS upgrade. The phone is cosmetically identical to the original Vibrant but now has a front camera and, at least in a prototype, Android 2.3 to support the extra optics. A BGR example showed the stock OS, though it will reportedly get an updated version of Samsung's custom TouchWiz interface for the new Google software.
Underneath, the phone is still expected to have the 1GHz processor and five-megapixel camera, but the newer, stock Android build makes it "stupid fast;" it may be comparable to the similarly equipped Nexus S. Apart from the camera, its core advantage will be the world's first 21Mbps HSPA+ support in a phone and thus a speed boost even over 14.4Mbps phones like the T-Mobile G2 and myTouch 4G.
The Vibrant 4G could go on sale as soon as February 23. Its existence has already proven controversial as a class action lawsuit could soon be underway against Samsung and T-Mobile for their treatment of existing Vibrant owners. Current users have accused the two of deliberately withholding Android 2.2 for the Vibrant in at least a degree of neglect and at most in a deliberate attempt to promote the newer and likely more expensive phone instead.
