Samsung I7500
Encyclopedia
The Samsung i7500, known as Samsung Galaxy in some countries, is the first mobile phone manufactured by Samsung
that uses the open source Android operating system. It was announced on 27 April 2009. It is succeeded by the Samsung i5700
.
(the G1), the i7500 has a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, and a Directional Pad in place of a trackball.
Software-wise, the i7500 offers a suite of Mobile Google services, including Google Search, Gmail
, YouTube
, Google Calendar, and Google Talk. The phone's GPS enables Google Maps
features such as My Location, and Google Latitude
. It also supports MP3
, AAC
(including iTunes
Plus downloads) (only the codec, not the .acc format), and H.264 video. A beta version of the Spotify
music streaming service is also now available for this phone via the Android Marketplace.
, where it has been labeled "Samsung Galaxy", then since August 2009 in Poland via Play Mobile
, Serbia via Telenor Serbia
, Croatia via Vipnet and Slovenia via Mobitel (Slovenia).
It is also expected to be available from T-Mobile
in some other markets, including the US.
The phone is available in Turkey since 14 September 2009 via Turkcell
.
The i7500 has been confirmed for an August release on O2 in the United Kingdom which is exclusive to O2 for 4 weeks. Despite this, the phone became available to new and existing customers on O2's UK website on Saturday 29 August 2009.
On October 2009, it became the first Android phone released in Brazil, via TIM
.
O2
's Irish operations are set to launch the handset in November 2009. The Samsung i7500L is also available in Canada as Samsung Galaxy on Bell Mobility and on Rogers Wireless
. In Spain used to be available on Yoigo.
The i7500 has also been confirmed to be launched in India on Tata Docomo
, Taiwan
, China and Hong Kong
. Sales in India have been less than expected.
In Spain used to be available on Yoigo, with Android 1.5, also called Android "Cupcake".
For some countries, Samsung has updated the Galaxy's firmware to Donut (1.6). Users from other countries can download and update it manually (which will void the warranty). Drakaz, a developer who has been working on getting Android v1.6, v2.2 and v2.3 to work on the i7500 for some time has made some improvements.
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
that uses the open source Android operating system. It was announced on 27 April 2009. It is succeeded by the Samsung i5700
Samsung i5700
The Samsung i5700, also known as Samsung Spica, Samsung Galaxy Spica and Samsung Galaxy Portal, is a smartphone manufactured by Samsung that uses the open source Android operating system. The phone is referred to as the successor of the Samsung i7500 and sometimes referred as Galaxy Lite...
.
Features
The i7500 is a 3.5G smartphone, offering quad-band GSM and announced with tri-band HSDPA (900/1700/2100) at 7.2Mbps (however, Samsung's official pages for the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish versions only mention dual-band UMTS 900/2100). The phone features a 3.2-inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen, a 5 Megapixel autofocus camera with power LED flash, and a digital compass. Unlike the first Android phone, the HTC DreamHTC Dream
The HTC Dream is an Internet-enabled smartphone with an operating system designed by Google and hardware designed by HTC...
(the G1), the i7500 has a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, and a Directional Pad in place of a trackball.
Software-wise, the i7500 offers a suite of Mobile Google services, including Google Search, Gmail
Gmail
Gmail is a free, advertising-supported email service provided by Google. Users may access Gmail as secure webmail, as well via POP3 or IMAP protocols. Gmail was launched as an invitation-only beta release on April 1, 2004 and it became available to the general public on February 7, 2007, though...
, YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, Google Calendar, and Google Talk. The phone's GPS enables Google Maps
Google Maps
Google Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
features such as My Location, and Google Latitude
Google Latitude
Google Latitude is a location-aware mobile app developed by Google as a successor to their earlier SMS-based service Dodgeball. Latitude allows a mobile phone user to allow certain people to view their current location. Via their own Google Account, the user's cell phone location is mapped on...
. It also supports MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
, AAC
Advanced Audio Coding
Advanced Audio Coding is a standardized, lossy compression and encoding scheme for digital audio. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves better sound quality than MP3 at similar bit rates....
(including iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
Plus downloads) (only the codec, not the .acc format), and H.264 video. A beta version of the Spotify
Spotify
Spotify is a Swedish-founded, UK-headquartered DRM-based music streaming service offering streaming of selected music from a range of major and independent record labels, including Sony, EMI, Warner Music Group, and Universal. Launched in October 2008 by Swedish startup Spotify AB, the service had...
music streaming service is also now available for this phone via the Android Marketplace.
Availability
The i7500 is available in Austria, Germany, Italy and Israel. It is also available in France via Bouygues TelecomBouygues Telecom
Bouygues Telecom is a French mobile phone and Internet service provider company, part of the Bouygues group. Its headquarters, designed by Arquitectonica, are located at the border of Paris and Issy-les-Moulineaux near the River Seine....
, where it has been labeled "Samsung Galaxy", then since August 2009 in Poland via Play Mobile
Play Mobile
Play, P4 is a brand name of the fourth Polish cellular telecommunications provider.Icelandic-led Novator acquired a large stake in the company.- Network :...
, Serbia via Telenor Serbia
Telenor Serbia
Telenor Serbia , subsidiary of Norwegian company Telenor, is the second largest Serbian mobile network operator.According to its most recent annual financial report submitted to the Serbian Economic Register Agency, the company has 1,102 employees and it posted an annual profit of RSD 6,459,361,000...
, Croatia via Vipnet and Slovenia via Mobitel (Slovenia).
It is also expected to be available from T-Mobile
T-Mobile
T-Mobile International AG is a German-based holding company for Deutsche Telekom AG's various mobile communications subsidiaries outside Germany. Based in Bonn, Germany, its subsidiaries operate GSM and UMTS-based cellular networks in Europe, the United States, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
in some other markets, including the US.
The phone is available in Turkey since 14 September 2009 via Turkcell
Turkcell
Turkcell is the leading mobile phone operator of Turkey, based in Istanbul. The company has 34.1 million subscribers as of June 30th, 2011.- Company background :...
.
The i7500 has been confirmed for an August release on O2 in the United Kingdom which is exclusive to O2 for 4 weeks. Despite this, the phone became available to new and existing customers on O2's UK website on Saturday 29 August 2009.
On October 2009, it became the first Android phone released in Brazil, via TIM
Telecom Italia Mobile
TIM is Telecom Italia's mobile phone brand, and runs a GSM, EDGE, UMTS and HSDPA network in Italy and Brazil.In Europe, TIM is part of the FreeMove alliance.TIM Peru was sold to América Móvil and rebranded Claro...
.
O2
O2 Ireland
Telefónica Ireland is a broadband and telecommunications provider in Ireland. The company is marketed and trades as O2...
's Irish operations are set to launch the handset in November 2009. The Samsung i7500L is also available in Canada as Samsung Galaxy on Bell Mobility and on Rogers Wireless
Rogers Wireless
Rogers Wireless is a wireless telecommunications provider offering mobile phone and data services throughout Canada using Global System for Mobile Communications and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System technology. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rogers Communications...
. In Spain used to be available on Yoigo.
The i7500 has also been confirmed to be launched in India on Tata Docomo
Tata DoCoMo
TATA DoCoMo, referred to as DoCoMo , is a Tata Teleservices Limited owned cellular service provider on the GSM and CDMA platform-arising out of the Tata Group's strategic joint venture with Japanese telecom giant NTT Docomo in November 2008...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, China and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Sales in India have been less than expected.
In Spain used to be available on Yoigo, with Android 1.5, also called Android "Cupcake".
Criticism
Due to a lack of firmware updates Samsung has received a lot of criticism from Galaxy users. A petition requesting future updates has been initiated. To date over 8000 people have signed it.For some countries, Samsung has updated the Galaxy's firmware to Donut (1.6). Users from other countries can download and update it manually (which will void the warranty). Drakaz, a developer who has been working on getting Android v1.6, v2.2 and v2.3 to work on the i7500 for some time has made some improvements.