Smartphone choice widens

New wireless client devices were on show at last week's 3GSM World Congress in Cannes, with Samsung introducing a Pocket PC phone, while Intel and Microsoft unveiled a reference handset design. Operator T-Mobile said it would introduce a Smartphone 2002-based device later this year.

Samsung's Mobile Intelligent Terminal (MIT) SGH-i700, expected to ship in the second quarter of this year, is based on Microsoft's Pocket PC 2002 Phone Edition platform, the software used by the O2 XDA and HP's Jornada 928.

The SGH-i700 is based on a 300MHz XScale chip with 64MB memory and integrated voice and GPRS data functions. It also boasts a built-in camera that can be used to send images via Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS).

Samsung also announced that it has become a shareholder in the Symbian consortium. Symbian, which develops a rival smartphone platform to Microsoft's, now boasts all the leading handset makers among its shareholders.

Meanwhile, Intel and Microsoft announced a concept smartphone design based on Intel's Personal Internet Client Architecture (PCA). The design allows handset makers to speed development and reduces the cost of bringing products based on Smartphone 2002 to market, Microsoft said.

However, the design is based on Intel's XScale PXA262 chip that integrates a processor with 256MB of Flash storage, not the newer PXA800F with built-in GPRS functions that was announced last week. An Intel spokesman said the GPRS chip had not been available while the concept design was being developed.

Mobile network operator T-Mobile also last week announced that it would sell a handset based on Microsoft's Smartphone 2002 software. The move follows rival Orange's launch of its SPV handset based on the same platform last autumn.

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See also:

Symbian looks to take on Microsoft

Latest version of phone operating system heralds move to more open environment  22 Apr 2003

Handspring leaps into bed with Orange

Pair to jointly develop next-generation smartphones for the European market  16 Apr 2003

Better late than never for MMS

Fully interoperable phone-to-phone picture messaging a reality at last  14 Apr 2003

Smartphone set to overtake PDAs

Handheld makers advised to forget hybrid models and concentrate on connectivity  27 Mar 2003

Samsung to reorganise channel

Resellers express surprise as vendor merges three divisions  10 Mar 2003

Comment: Mobile carriers raise their game

Solutions to improve the efficiency of mobile networks may not grab much attention, but will help operators to provide a better service and stay profitable, says Martin Courtney  03 Mar 2003

Third generation

White elephant or the next great technological leap? The 3G debate rages on ...  17 Feb 2003

Linux edges into phones

Handset maker Motorola backs open-source software  17 Feb 2003

Intel smartens phones

GSM, GPRS and application processing supported by a single chip  17 Feb 2003

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