Rumors are circulating about an impending Android device from Samsung. The Czech technology site DNES today released some eyebrow-raising specs for the Samsung 8000, which it says will be released under the name the Samsung Cubic.
At a press conference for the release of the WiMAX-capable Samsung Mondi during CTIA Wireless 2009, company executives declined to comment with any specificity on future Android devices. However, they did say that Samsung would be releasing Android devices in the future.
If the specs released today are real, the new phone would trump features already included on the Android G1 and raise the bar for smartphones in general.
The Cubic reportedly would include a 3.1? AMOLED display, WVGA with 16 million colors. The report says the phone would come equipped with an impressive 5-megapixel camera with flash, FM radio and 2 GB internal memory with an expandable microSD slot. It also would come enabled with Wi-Fi, GPS capability with A-GPS and Bluetooth 2.1.
Andy Castonguay, director of research for Yankee Group, was cautious about commenting on the rumors. He was equally cautious about the Android platform itself, stressing a future where carriers are more willing to team with handset manufacturers that offer a successful, monetized applications store.
“Openness is a really interesting ideal, but when it comes down to brass tacks … it creates certain conflicts,” he said. “For instance, if you’re Samsung and you’re putting out some Android phones, how much are you going to invest in doing co-marketing for a larger Android apps store?”
He went on to say that in the future, carriers are going to choose handset and operating systems for their portfolios that feature successful application stores that produce unique content to drive data usage.