The first Samsung phone to feature the new Bada OS is the Samsung Wave, this new touchscreen phone is also known as the Samsung S8500 and packs some other firsts for the manufacturer, including some great new display technology.
The Samsung S8500 Wave offers a 3.3-inch touch screen, but it’s a bit more special than your usual AMOLED, it’s 800 x 480 pixel Super AMOLED. The manufacturer says that this new technology bypasses many of the usual layers of materials during manufacturing and provides an even sharper and clearer display than previous technology.
The new Bada OS means developers can now get involved with new apps and on top of that there’s Samsung’s new TouchWiz 3.0 software for a smooth user experience. The Samsung Wave is powered by a 1GHz processor which is still the fastest found in the industry, other phones that offer this include the recently released HTC Desire, Google Nexus One and Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Android phones.
Like the Samsung Tocco Ultra phone before it, the new Wave S8500 features a nice brushed-steel finish on its exterior, which gives the phone an expensive look and doesn’t make it look like many of the plastic-looking devices available. at the moment.
The back of the Samsung Wave contains only the battery compartment and a 5.0-megapixel camera, but it’s what’s inside that’s impressive: Wi-Fi, 3.5G support, GPS, HD-quality video support, Bluetooth v3, USB connectivity and an expandable memory make this latest Samsung phone a complete temptation.
There’s also a large 1500mAh battery for great talk and standby time, plus an FM radio with a 3.5mm audio jack for using your own headphones. Along with the new TouchWiz 3.0, there’s a variety of social networking apps to keep you up to date with all your friends’ online activities, plus a web browser, Exchange ActiveSync support, and an email client.
Competition against this new phone comes in the form of the aforementioned HTC Desire and Nexus One, as well as the Sony Xperia X10 and possibly even the new HTC Legend as an Android alternative. Others include the Nokia X6 for its similar camera resolution and touchscreen capabilities and the new Sony Ericsson Vivaz which matches Wave with 720p HD video support.
The Samsung S8500 Wave will be launched as an unlocked and SIM-free mobile phone from May 14 with an initial purchase price of £339.99, there is no word yet from any of the network operators on when they will launch this new Samsung phone on pay. monthly contract deals, but we suspect that will follow soon after.