Android this week: Galaxy S II first look; Amazon tablet soon; more Hulu Plus devices

Since launching in May, Samsung’s Galaxy S II has been the company’s fastest selling smartphone, even without availability in the smartphone-crazed U.S. That situation is changing as Samsung announced a version for Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile earlier this month. Sprint’s edition is already for sale while T-Mobile hasn’t yet announced availability and AT&T is launching the Galaxy S II on Oct. 2.

I nabbed an early review unit of AT&T’s Galaxy S II yesterday afternoon and immediately gave the handset a once over with a photo gallery. My general first impression: If you like Google Android and have or want an AT&T account, this smartphone should be at the top of your list.

The 4.3-inch display is so vibrant that I tweeted this last night: “Super AMOLED Plus gives new life to old “Cheers” episodes on Netflix.” Samsung’s dual-core processor makes this phone one of the fastest Android devices I’ve ever used. And even in my rural area where mobile broadband coverage is sketchy, I saw HSPA+ download speeds nearing 5 Mbps. I’ll have a full review forthcoming, but so far, I’m very impressed.

Also forthcoming is Amazon’s tablet entry, which will be based on Google Android. Amazon is expected to launch the device in the fourth quarter and it’s likely that next week will see the tablet introduced, due to a planned press event for an unknown product. Amazon has reportedly ordered monthly production of 800,000 such tablets; if true, the company should have plenty on hand after launch, even if the Kindle tablet proves extremely popular.

Based on an early hands-on look at a prototype, it’s pretty much a given that those familiar with Android won’t see a trace of it on Amazon’s tablet. The slate will use a heavily customized user interface that may limit what the device can, and can’t, do as compared to other tablets on the market. Surely it will support Amazon media offerings such as Kindle books, Amazon’s MP3 store, and likely Amazon’s Unbox video service. One open question I have is if Amazon’s AppStore will be supported for third-party Android software; my suspicion is yes, either at launch or through a future software update.

One app that received an update this week was Hulu Plus. The video subscription client was previously supported on just a handful of Android smartphones, but the list of compatible devices was updated this week. The HTC Flyer tablet in addition to the LG’s GX2 and Revolution, plus Motorola’s Bionic, Droid X2 and Droid 3 have all been added to the support list. The software is free but requires a monthly service fee of $7.99 to watch television programming on your Android smartphone or tablet.

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First look at AT&T’s Samsung Galaxy S II

AT&T is launching the Samsung Galaxy S II on Oct. 2 for $199 with contract, but a review unit showed up on my doorstep earlier today. I’ve just unboxed the device, which came with an optional USB to HDMI adapter, and have some first impressions as well as photos to share. If not for the back cover logo of Galaxy S II, the phone appears very much like the Samsung Infuse 4G I reviewed back in May. The dual-core processor, however, shows the difference once you power-on Samsung’s latest smartphone.

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Some quick thoughts, in no particular order:

Yes, the 4.3-inch display makes for a large phone, but the device is offset by a light weight and thin profile. It’s not quite as thin as my fourth-generation iPod touch, but pretty close as shown in the image gallery.
I like the power button on the right side of the GS2 as opposed to a power button on the top.
The phone is a speed demon; I haven’t yet used an Android phone this fast. You tap the screen, and the phone reacts.
The Super AMOLED Plus display is brilliant and vivid. It doesn’t feel like this phone has an 800×480 display; it appears like a higher-resolution screen.
NFC, or near field communications, is supported, although there is no application I can find to use this short-range wireless technology. The battery has “near field communication” on the front and back, so I’m assuming the NFC component is integrated into the battery.
I have decent AT&T coverage in my area (four out of five bars) and a quick speed test yields reasonable results: 81 millisecond ping time, upload of 1.62 Mbps and download speeds of 4.83 Mbps.
A few low-light camera shots came out quite nice, and zooming in shows nice detail.
I don’t like the microSD card slot placement; you’ll have to remove the phone battery to insert or remove a memory card.

My gut reaction: I can see many people happy with this phone on AT&T’s network, but I’ll use it for a few days to see if there are any quirks or gotchas to look out for. I also have no idea how long the battery will last on a charge. Of course, the elephant in the room for this phone is the upcoming new iPhone from Apple; next month could prove a superb smartphone showdown between the Galaxy S II and the next iPhone.

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AT&T launching the Samsung Galaxy S II Oct. 2 for $199

The fastest selling Samsung smartphone, the Galaxy S II, arrives on AT&T’s network October 2 for $199 after contract. The carrier shared the release information Wednesday on its Facebook page, saying the phone will be available both on-line and in retail stores on the launch date. The high-end handset has been available in countries outside the U.S. since May and sold 5 million units in the first 85 days after launching.

Timing of the Galaxy S II on AT&T should prove interesting as the smartphone is arguably the best suited Google Android handset to compete directly against Apple’s iPhone, which is still a top seller on AT&T’s network.

The October 2 launch date for Samsung’s phone appears to be prior to an expected new iPhone. Apple is reportedly holding a press event on October 4, where it’s likely to introduce the next iPhone although the handset may not be available immediately. That would mean the Galaxy S II could enjoy several weeks of sales without competition from the newest iPhone model. Knowing that an updated Apple handset is due soon, however, consumers may hold off on the Samsung device.

To recap the functions and features of the Galaxy S II, the handset uses a fast dual-core processor and large, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen. The thin handset also includes an 8 megapixel rear camera capable of capturing 1080p video which can be piped to a high-definition television set. A 2 megapixel front-facing camera can be used for video chat. And in terms of usability and performance, our own Darrell Etherington said this in his review: “This is the device that comes closest to creating a mobile experience as smooth as Apple’s.”

Of course, Darrell compared the Galaxy S II experience to last year’s iPhone 4. I’m curious to see consumers make the same comparison with Apple’s newest phone, which should rival the Galaxy S II in terms of hardware features. I’ve already suggested that a late U.S. launch of Samsung’s hottest phone could limit sales; we’ll find out next month.

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Can a Galaxy S II with keyboard steal iPhone sales?

AT&T’s version of the hotly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone appears to have a slide-out hardware keyboard, something we’ll never likely see on Apple’s iPhone. The reported keyboard is shown on the Boy Genius Report site, which has an image of what clearly resembles a Samsung smartphone running Google Android 2.3.4. The four-row keypad is supplemented by two tall, thin buttons on the left and right; each doubles as a button for the four capacitive touch buttons on the display for search, home, menu and back functions. AT&T still sells the lion’s share of iPhones, but a high-powered Android handset with a hardware keyboard could sway some away from Apple.

I have no doubt that when Apple introduces the next iPhone model, AT&T will still continue to sell millions of the device. Surprisingly, even though the iPhone is on many networks around the world and available on Verizon since February, AT&T appears to have sold 17.1 percent of all iPhones last quarter. Apple reported sales of 20.34 million iPhones and just days later AT&T claimed 3.6 million iPhone activations in the same time period. That’s a big number in relation to all iPhones sold.

As strong as those numbers are, there’s still money being left on the table, because no matter how good the software keyboard is on the iPhone, there are consumers that simply won’t consider it due to the lack of a hardware keyboard. I’ve heard this complaint time and again in various conversations and it comes more from women in my experience. It turns out that women with long fingernails — again, based on my conversations — can’t easily use a capacitive touchscreen keyboard. That’s just one example of many I hear; talk to a long-time BlackBerry user and you’re likely to hear a similar aversion to touchscreen keyboards.

So while the Samsung Galaxy S II is no iPhone when it comes to software or ecosystem, it may drive sales on AT&T’s network for those seeking the touchscreen smartphone experience but with the addition of a hardware keypad. The Galaxy S II is certainly powerful enough to please with Samsung’s 1.2 GHz dual-core processor; early benchmarks from the overseas model show it to run rings around most other smartphones. A Super AMOLED Plus display brings vibrant colors that draw the eye. And even with a peppy processor, early reviews show the phone capable of lasting a full day on a single charge. It’s no wonder the Galaxy S II is the company’s fastest selling smartphone with 3 million sales in 55 days.

Hardware keyboard aside, potential customers will still focus on iOS vs Android as a major part of their purchase decision. But if these folks consider the two platforms to be “close enough” to parity, a keyboard could help Samsung move more Galaxy S II smartphones on AT&T. And given AT&T’s importance to iPhone sales, that helps Samsung as it battles Apple to become the new smartphone king.

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Who’s on pace to sell 1M phones a day? (Hint: Not Apple)

Nokia has long held the top spot for handset sales, but Samsung is charging from behind. The company expects to sell 300 million mobile phones in 2011, reports Mobile Business Briefing, up from 280 million last year. While it’s unlikely Samsung will catch Nokia in the overall handset sales just yet — Nokia sold 461 million phones in 2010 — Samsung is showing strength in the more profitable smartphone market, and along with Apple, is expected to outsell Nokia’s smartphones this quarter. Of the 300 million expected sales this year, Samsung figures 60 million of them will be smartphones running Google Android, Microsoft Windows Phone 7 or Samsung’s own Bada mobile platform.

If Samsung does hit the 60 million mark for smartphone sales, it would represent a big boost over the 25 million sold by the company last year and a growing challenge to manage parts and production. As smartphone demand rises, it becomes increasingly important for hardware makers to manage component supplies as well as the handset manufacturing lines. During an interview with Yonhap News Agency, Samsung President of Mobile Communications and Digital Imaging Shin Jong-kyun pointed out the expected milestone and the challenges it takes to source parts and build phones at such a high rate.

“For the first time, Samsung’s cell phone sales will top 300 million this year. It is a very meaningful and important event. To meet the goal, Samsung should manufacture and sell 1 million phones on a daily average and secure components for 1 million handsets every day, which isn’t an easy task.”

Samsung’s Smart Strategy

Samsung is one of several handset makers that embraced Google Android early: a key reason for the company’s current success in the smartphone market. Unlike others who also took to Android early on, however, Samsung didn’t flood the market with numerous Android handsets that are slight variations on a theme. Instead, the company exercised the smart strategy of designing one flagship device, the Galaxy S, and allowed for small carrier customizations. This approach can help reduce component and production challenges by using the same components for the Galaxy S line.

This same strategy, which I predicted would continue late last year, is already in progress for Samsung’s Galaxy S II, which improves over the prior version with a better display and dual-core processor. The new handset, still rolling out across the world in many countries, has already boosted Samsung’s smartphone sales in the second quarter. Analysts estimate Samsung moved 20 million smartphones in the second quarter of this year, largely due to the new handset. If accurate, that figure represents a doubling over Samsung’s smartphone sales from the first quarter of 2011.

Samsung vs Apple

Of course, any talk of the smartphone market of today and tomorrow would be lacking if Apple weren’t part of the conversation. The company bypassed feature phones entirely, a market that helped build both Nokia and Samsung into handset powerhouses. Instead, Apple is focused squarely on the high-profit margins found in smartphones but supplements that with an application and media ecosystem to drive additional revenues and ultimately result in higher handset sales. Last year, Apple sold an estimated 46.5 million iPhones, per Gartner, and thanks to pent-up demand for a Verizon iPhone, sold 18.65 million handsets in the first quarter of this year. Add in the strong likelihood of a new iPhone launch within the next two months, updates and improvements to iOS 5, and the new iCloud service, and it’s possible Apple still sells more smartphones than Samsung this year.

Based on last year’s success for Samsung, Om predicted this battle between Apple and Samsung at the end of 2010, saying:

“Samsung has already shown strong sales for its Galaxy S series of Android-based smartphones (over 9.3 million), tablets (one million) and more recently, it announced a new Android-based music player. It also owns the entire component food chain –processors, memory, flash storage and screens — which gives it a key advantage, as most mobile phone makers are grappling with component capacity constraints. In 2011, the battle will really come down between Samsung and Apple.”

Full-court press

Neither of us predicted the current legal issues between the two, however, which has the potential to disrupt Samsung’s momentum. Although the two companies were quietly discussing similarities between their handsets for more than a year, Apple took the discussion to court in April. Samsung has since counter-sued, and if the court case proceeds as planned, it’s unlikely to see a resolution this year. Regardless of who wins in the court, the damage could already be done to Samsung from a component standpoint. The company fabricates the Apple CPU that currently powers iOS devices, but if Apple can find a new fabrication partner, it could decide it no longer needs a “frenemy” in Samsung.

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