Samsung Challenges Apple, iPhone to Duel

Just when you thought Apple was going to run away with yet another handheld market, industry powerhouse Samsung has announced its own contender. The iPhone may not be the only super communicator if the "Serenata" has something to sing, er say, about it.

The Serenata will be a joint venture launched by Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and audio electronics designers Bang & Olufsen. Announced formally on Tuesday, the device will hold 4GB of music (about 1,000 songs) and has a slew of other features that make it very comparable to the iPhone. (Source: infosyncworld.com)

Like what?

Like the iPhone, the Serenata boasts an impressive 2.26 inch LCD screen, which is navigable by a one-handed touch wheel. This wheel allows users to flip through menus, dial friends, write messages, and of course access song lists. In addition to the interface, the Serenata boasts a built-in speaker and bass system, which can play music for about five straight hours (13 through a handset).

As for storage, Samsung is fairly certain it won't be moving up to an 8GB edition as Apple plans. Apple thought long and hard about its storage expansion before finally announcing it would expand once the 4GB lot is sold out. Samsung simply doesn't believe anyone really wants that much music on a cell phone.

Samsung is promising, however, that the Serenata will have GSM, or a Global System for Mobile Communications. Using 3G (3rd generation) networks, users will be able to send each other emails or short instant messages (SMS), while storing up to a thousand phone numbers. (Source: pcworld.com)

A thousand phone numbers or not, Samsung probably won't win in a popularity contest. The Serenata itself looks quite a bit different than the iPhone, different enough that many might simply regard it as downright 'ugly'. Still, Samsung is no slouch, be it in phones or televisions, and should present us with a quality competitor for hegemonic Apple within a few months.

Pricing has not yet been set.