Samsung to sell motion-sensitive handset

Electronics giant Samsung this week unveiled a motion-sensitive handset that measures movements the user makes with the phone and translates them into commands, the company said.

If a user shakes the phone twice, for example, it will end a call or delete a message, Samsung said.

The company plans to sell the phone, dubbed the SCH-S310, in South Korea, a representative said. Pricing information for the phone was unavailable, as was a specific launch date.

Samsung said the phone is also able to recognize and translate more complex movements, including dialing numbers drawn in the air using the handset or recognizing an "o" or an "x" drawn in the air as a yes or no command. Additionally, the phone features a magnetic-sensor-based compass.

For upcoming models, the company plans to build in more features, including support for games that rely on motion, plus tools for analyzing changes in a user's movements and dispensing diet advice.

Samsung also recently launched a speech-to-SMS handset and a phone that includes a 5-megapixel camera.

Jo Best of Silicon.com reported from London.