Samsung preps Galaxy W, M Pro, Y, Y Pro
updated 12:05 am EDT, Wed August 24, 2011
Samsung intros four Galaxy phones for IFA 2011
Samsung ramped up the launch of four new smartphones under a previously hinted new naming scheme. The Galaxy W hits the new mid-range and runs on a 1.4GHz, single-core chip with a 3.7-inch display. It still as much of the modern TouchWiz interface on top of Android 2.3 and supports up to 14.4Mbps HSPA for reasonably fast 3G.
The Galaxy M Pro is Samsung's return to the BlackBerry-style QWERTY candybar design after a long absence. It's thinner than the BlackBerry Bold 9900 it's stacked up against, at 9.97mm versus the 10.5mm of RIM's phone. Although the keyboard cuts into the usable space, it still fits TouchWiz. Work credentials come into play with support for extras like Cisco's Mobile and WebEx as wel as Sybase Afaria.
Most details, such as the processor and the camera, are still unknown.
At the entry level are two Y series phones that have smaller screens and more basic features. The straightforwards Galaxy Y is full-touch on a smaller (likely 3.2-inch) display and with a more modest 832MHz processor, although it still carries TouchWize and Swype's custom keyboard. A slew of different colors are meant to cater to the younger audience.
A final Galaxy Y Pro has a keyboard like the M Pro. Very few details are on hand, but it comes preloaded with ThinkFree's mobile office app and Wi-Fi Direct for sharing media to devices that support it.
The new naming scheme is sorted into S (super smart), R (refined), W (wonder), M (magical), and Y (young). S is defined by flagships like the Galaxy S II, while R is meant for higher-end but not as ambitious models. W fits in the mid-range, while M is skewed towards budget but not necessarily starter models. Y focuses on youth. Every device can have a suffix, such as Pro for a keyboard, Plus as an upgrade to an existing design, and LTE for those using the fastest 4G speeds.
Galaxy M Pro
