We knew that Samsung had a winner on their hands with the Samsung Galaxy S, and we knew that a US version would probably be popular, but we didn’t think we’d end up with 5 versions across 5 US carriers.
If you’re stuck deciding on which variant would best suit you, we’ve compiled this handy list outlining the main differences, prices, and launch dates for the next Android super phone, as they compare to the original non-US model.
- Samsung Galaxy S (Original, non-US flavour)
This is the phone that started it all, the standard-issue Samsung Galaxy S.
The specs form the baseline upon which all the US variants are based, and consist of:
Android 2.1
1GHz Cortex A8 “Hummingbird” CPU
4.0″ 800×480 Super-AMOLED display
5.0MP rear-facing camera (no flash) with 720p video recording
VGA front-facing camera
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 3.0
8GB or 16GB on-board storage with MicroSD expansion
512MB RAM
2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE) : 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
3G (HSDPA 7.2Mbps, HSUPA 5.76Mbps) : 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz (no US compatibility)
A-GPS, accelerometer, digital compass, proximity sensor, light sensor, FM Radio
Out now in Europe, UK, and parts of Asia. - AT&T Samsung Captivate
As above, with the removal of the front-facing VGA camera, and a new (BlackBerry-Storm-inspired body).
It will come with 16GB on-board storage.
No details as yet on a release date. - T-Mobile Samsung Vibrant
Specs as standard, but with no front-facing camera, a slightly tweaked body, and T-Mobile branding.
Will sport 16GB of storage, and come bundled with Sims 3 and a full copy of Avatar on the 2GB MicroSD card.
Released July 21 for $199 on a two year contract. - Verizon Samsung Fascinate
The internal storage has been slashed to 2GB on this unit, but Verizon have added an LED flash to the rear camera. I know I’d prefer a flash over internal storage, so it’s a winner in my books (thanks to Eric in the comments for the info).
The news of this phone is so fresh that there are no photos or pricing details yet, but we’ll keep you posted as they arrive. - US Cellular
You thought the last news was fresh? I’ll give you fresh! We don’t even have a name for this variant yet, let alone photos, pricing, or modifcation details. Hold tight, they’ll come soon! - Sprint Samsung Epic 4G
The biggest variant of the bunch is Sprint’s, with the addition of both 4G connectivity and a QWERTY keyboard.
Again, the specs run the same as the standard model (they’re even keeping the front-facing camera).
We’ve also heard word that there will be a flash included on the rear-camera, unlike the original, and Sprint will include the same mobile hotspot connectivity as seen on the EVO 4G.
It is rumoured to have the full 16GB on-board storage (rather than the 8GB seen on some Galaxy S models), but that’s yet to be officially announced.
Sadly, there are no details as yet on pricing or a release date.
So there you have it. 5 new versions for 5 different US markets. Samsung have said that this phone will launch in 110 countries, so you can soon expect to start seeing variants of this phone everywhere.