Samsung i600 Smartphone Coming Soon to Verizon? [Archive]

Jason Dunn

10-16-2003, 06:42 PM

Good news for those of you in Verizon markets - it looks like you should be seeing the Samsung i600 within the next month or so! This information is unverified, however, so as always take it with a grain of salt. ;-)

"I stopped at my local Verizon store, in Madison WI, on my way home from work tonight and to my amazement when I mention the i600 I was told they had just gotten an informational packet on it. I asked if I could take a look at to my surprise not only did they have a Verizon branded info sheet but a non-working demo of the i600! It was about the same size as my Motorola T720, about a quarter of an inch wider but height and thickness was the same. Unfortunately they did have any extra copies of the Verizon info sheet but they did give me an info sheet on it from Samsung. They said once they get this bundle it is no longer than a month before the phone is released and it usually take even less time than that. After see the demo unit it is even harder to wait for this phone but at least the end is in sight! :)"

alan.koblin

10-16-2003, 06:52 PM

Verizon should have this phone available very soon... after AT&T Wireless :wink:

thetruth

10-16-2003, 07:50 PM

giddy up!

robcorn

10-16-2003, 08:53 PM

Just in time to compete against some WM 2003 PDA's/Smartphones. Sounds like DOA to me....no thanks.

ShivShanks

10-16-2003, 09:44 PM

Finally! The cynic in me says that finally there are some signs that the MS SmartPhone platform is showing signs of life and taking baby steps in the US. If only the carriers would get a clue and launch these things faster. 6 months is an eternity in the Electronics and Computers world to spend testing a phone on the networks. And these phones are most likely going to be bought by knowledgeable folks who know a lot more than the average customer. Why are the US carriers so clueless and dorky? Oh when Oh when will they grow up and realise what a different situation is there in the rest of the world with GSM and SIM cards and free ability to buy whatever phone you want. What dinosaurs from the ancient ages the US carriers ...

WintermuteX

10-16-2003, 10:58 PM

yes its great that this phone will finally be out, I myself have waited for it for some time now, but it seems that this unit at release date is quite behind the times. Now heres a question. This thing is relatively one of the first CDMA smartphones.. my question is if and when we could expect a cdma version of the spv and or other smartphone 2003 cdma handsets? anyone?
-Matt

thetruth

10-16-2003, 11:14 PM

I'd be surprised to see a MSP2k3 phone on the CDMA market anytime soon (unless the i600 surprises us all -- haha, "hope, it is the quintessential human delusion" -the architect). Considering the length of time that VZ has been testing the i600, new hardware will likely take some time (I can't speak to Sprint's testing practices).

LG and other CDMA manufacturers will come to market with something, but speculating on a time frame is difficult. My guess is 8AM, June 14, 2004.

rbrome

10-16-2003, 11:50 PM

...

LG and other CDMA manufacturers will come to market with something, but speculating on a time frame is difficult. My guess is 8AM, June 14, 2004.

:lol:

HailStorm

10-17-2003, 01:24 AM

Welp, guess where I will be going during my lunch break tmrw? hehe To my local VZW store!

Hopefully they will have a demo phone and a brochure as well.

thetruth

10-17-2003, 03:08 AM

Good news. I can confirm that the VZ stores are receiving non-working demos of the i600. The Tacoma Mall Store in Tacoma, WA has received the same informational packet and demo. The salesman said he expects the phone to be out "before the end of the month." Take that for what it's worth. I'm not sure these guys are given any details on release dates and he was probably speculating based on the arrival of info packets for previous phones.

You may want to call your local VZ store and see if they have one.

albert

10-17-2003, 06:20 AM

8AM, June 14, 2004

Does that estimate include the 1 year of carrier testing following the release from manufacturing? :):) Can't imagine many purchasing a 2002 Smartphone in late 2003. Nice to see some progress non-the-less !!

thetruth

10-17-2003, 08:25 AM

Thanks to ixocean at howardforums who has posted two recent pictures of the production version of the i600. Here are the links (looks like Smartphone 2002):

Samsung i600 (Closed) (http://www.howardforums.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=1745639)

Samsung i600 (Opened) (http://www.howardforums.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=1745649)

Here is the thread (http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=1746459&highlight=\+i600#post1746459)

WintermuteX

10-17-2003, 08:32 AM

I called a store in madison and they did indeed have the demo and info packet and the rep insisted that the unit features a camera in the center fold of the phone. could it be that verizon will suprise us with a newer release of the unit with ms2k3 and a camera? This sounds strange, can anyone else confirm this camera or not?

thetruth

10-17-2003, 08:59 AM

thetruth

10-17-2003, 07:01 PM

Here are scans of the info pack mentioned:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=1748454#post1748454

Enjoy.

mar2k

10-17-2003, 07:40 PM

Well. the 2003 OS would be nice, but the real question is whether the phone will be application locked or not. If so, hopefully someone will have a way to unlock them.

There is no doubt that the "fun" quotient certainly goes down quite a bit when these Smartphones are application locked. A lot of the great emulators and freeware coming out for the platform are not signed applications.....

squirrelist

10-17-2003, 09:26 PM

I'm pretty sure the phone will be locked. VZW puts lots of effort into testing to make sure a product is reliable before it is released (which explains why VZW customers are always the last to get a new technology - This phone was authorized by the FCC over a year ago now). If it wasn't locked, it would undermine the whole testing period.

thetruth

10-17-2003, 09:59 PM

mar2k

10-17-2003, 11:47 PM

How does "unlocking" a phone work? Is it a hardware or software "lock." Lock's are meant to be broken, right? :)

Also, can we trust msmobiles story that all US smartphone's will be unlocked?

http://msmobiles.com/news.php/1478.html

That article refers only to Motorola MPx200 Smartphones, not the i600, I would take it with a grain of salt as it may be unlocked by Motorola but locked by AT&T. Who knows until they are actually on the market.

As far as I know the application locks are software based. I've never heard of a hardware lock.

I would not buy one unless unlocked so apps like Pocket TV will work. But that's just me. I'm sure what the prior poster is saying is probably correct. Verizon, of all the US carries seems the the most likely to lock down their devices.

thetruth

10-17-2003, 11:59 PM

After the mentioning of lock/unlock, i took a look on google for some info and found this:

http://www.developers.orange.com/tipsandhints/UnlockingFullInstructions/

the UK provider Orange has an entire process setup for unlocking the SPV. An interesting read...

darrylb

10-18-2003, 12:30 AM

It looks like they might be putting some marketing into it too.

Handango has sent an email out to its MS developers (at least) asking them to update the hardware compatibility for developers to reflect compatibility with the i600 (if it is compatible). The reason is "Handango is preparing to launch a Samsung i600 catalog for an un-named US carrier on Monday, October 20th. To ensure your application is included in this catalog, please update the compatible device list for your Pocket PC Phone Edition titles IF they are compatible with the new Samsung i600."

Marketing is one of the things the MS platform needs to get user adoption. Maybe this is a step in the right direction...

HailStorm

10-18-2003, 04:09 AM

Ohhhh snap!!!!

"We got dates!"

October 20th!!! 3 DAYS I have died and gone to Smartphone heaven!!!

darrylb

10-18-2003, 04:22 AM

The i700 will be released the same day apparently.

Also, it does not say this is the release date - just that the catalog launch date will be on the 20th :D

HailStorm

10-18-2003, 04:35 AM

Yah...hehehe, I have since tempered my excitement. lol They probably need to test the catalog too before it gets into the public arena?

Still, after all the naysaying, especially from MSMobiles.com, it is nice to suddenly have a wealth of information and signs of imminence!

HailStorm

10-18-2003, 04:41 AM

In your experience...how long does it usually take for a handset to get launched after a catalog has been launched by Handago?

darrylb

10-18-2003, 05:23 AM

Cant help you on that one. I've only been publishing on handango for a few months and have not received any of these before. Someone else might know better....

PAC

10-27-2003, 05:07 PM

I asked a Verizon store manager in Washington DC about the i600 and he not only showed me the demo unit and spec sheets but guranteed (for what that is worth) that they will be available no later than Thanksgiving and most likely the first week of Nov.

okrk

10-28-2003, 03:49 AM

I have been asking people at my local verizon store, no one has herd of the i600.

I went back yesterday and asked again and to my astonisment the manager said "oh yes, the i600 we have a brochure". This was 4 hrs after calling the store and being told that they never herd of it. They said it with the tone that I was crazy and that it probably didn't even exist.

So the manager gave me a 4 page glossy brochure and it has a verizon website on the back. This site definatly proves that verizon will be launching this phone soon,

Here's the site:
www.samsungtelecom.com/training/verizon

Rich :P