Samsung's answer to iPhone mania: Omnia

Samsung Electronics South Korea released on early Monday preview details on the company's new smartphone, before the mania of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference begins in California.

The Samsung Omnia (SGH-i900) is similar in looks and function to the Samsung Instinct (SPH-M800), but with a few more bells and whistles.

Artist's sketch of the Samsung Omnia (SGH-i900) to be revealed next week at Communicasia.

(Credit: Samsung Electronics)

For starters, it sounds like it has a very promising camera. With five megapixels and anti-shake technology, this may be the first camera on a phone that produces pictures you would actual think of printing, not just posting to Facebook. This is an improvement over the 2-megapixel cameras on both the first-generation iPhone and on the Samsung Instinct.

The touch-screen smartphone, which runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 and features Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Opera 9.5 as its Web browser, will also have Wi-Fi. That's something the Instinct also lacks.

Like the Instinct, the Omnia has visual voice mail, 3G capability, Bluetooth, an FM radio, and GPS functionality. The smartphone, of course, also doubles as a music player and, with 16GB, will be able to hold up to 4,000 songs or 100 minutes of video, according to Samsung.

How it will compare with the new 3G iPhone Apple is rumored to be revealing on Monday remains to be seen.

More details on the smartphone's specs will follow when the Omnia (SGH-i900) is officially unveiled on June 17 at Communicasia, the 2008 Singapore Expo. The Omnia (SGH-i900) will become available in Southeast Asia first and then be launched to other markets over the second half of 2008, according to Samsung.

[ice82]

I'd go for this one over an iphone any day.

[erik_k]

I must have this phone.

[atish505]

WINDOWS MOBILE SUCKS BIG TIME.
Anyone wants to seriously compete with iPhone or Blackberry will have
to look into Linux or Symbian.

Windows Mobile phones are toast.
For LG and Samsung it is a case of too little, too late.

In North America it is Blackberry or iPhone.
Once iPhone is released in Asia, Samsung an LG smart(less) phones will be
treated as second and third tier not worthy of serious competition.

[gmon750]

I for one welcome competition. It keeps all the players on their toes. It's unfortunate that Windows Mobile is the OS. It seems companies really don't learn from prior mistakes. WM is a terrible choice for a phone OS due to its clumsy interface and instabilities. Kudos for trying to compete in an arena where all the attention is given to the iPhone. Especially since today is the big iPhone 2.0 announcement.

I am a WM developer. It's just a terrible environment to work in. Nonetheless, kudos to Samsung for making a very good attempt.

[tundraboy]

Dude, it's a Windows Mobile device! (Derisive laughter follows.)

[MarcusOLT]

I would get this phone but i cant stand Windows Mobile 6.0 or 6.1. I love SAMSUNGS menu style & user interface. UGHHH Windows is AWFUL!!!!!! I hope it gets changed before it hits the US shore. The new 3G iPhone still doesnt have a camcorder feature & most likely the volume on the new iPhone will be just as bad as the 1st model.

[Seaspray0]

I hear alot of people screaming "Windows mobile sux!!" Is that all? How does it suck? Why can't you provide any details? Perhaps because you haven't even used it?

[jcharavda]

gmon750..
If you are one of the WM developer, why don't you do more to fix the problems?
Report it to the management and let them know what is wrong with it and how one can fix it?
LOL...

[ranaasa]

Hi may i know the price of this particular set (i am frm bangalore, india)

[aznhero]

This is the one to die for ! I was about to get the Samsung F480 but seeing this one changed everything.

[gsaenz]

Did anyone see how crazy expensive this is? MSRP is scheduled to be $799 without a service plan. The iPhone is $299 on the high end. Don't get me wrong. I love the thought of this phone. I want an expandable phone (add memory, unlike the iPhone), FM Radio, WiFi, and it is not locked to AT&T which sucks. I don't much care about Windows Mobile so that doesn't matter. This phone is way too costly for now.

[mrwolvie]

My friend just bought his Omnia and has problems customising the widgets and changing the interface and the manual provided does not seem to help much. The website www.samsung-resource.blogspot.com is very useful and in fact i have recommended it in other phone forum. If you want to download the user manual, you can do so at www.lostmymanual.org =)

[AnEaglesEyes]

Cost of iPhone is not original price it is after discount by AT&T.
If AT&T sells Omnia they will decrease price of that also in same range.

[AnEaglesEyes]

Cost of iPhone is not original price it is after discount by AT&T.
If AT&T sells Omnia they will decrease price of that also in same range.

[mocheng]

I realised that whenever i install 3rd party apps. and those are required to be installed in the device memory, it will install in the device memory's storage, but not program memory. is there anyway to install them in program memory? because the device storage have very little space. I have 3.14mb storage memory and 48.92MB storage memory left in the device.

http://www.Samsung-Omnia.org really helped me a lot.

[abcyesn]

Having been with SE for a few years this was my first Samsung/Touchscreen/WM phone. Luckily, I like researching before I buy and it was a Touch Diamond or Omnia. No regrets on getting the Omnia as there is so much you can do with it. I don't like the Samsung Keyboard but I've got the SPB keyboard and SPB MS now. Much easier and I don't need to use the stylus anymore! Smiley Smiley Smiley

share your omnia experiences on http://www.Samsung-Omnia.org take care.