Samsung Galaxy Spica Officially Getting Android 2.1 [After Rumors, Leaked ROMs, Samsung's 3.2-inch Smartphone Getting Google Maps Nav, Multi-Touch Update]

Tweet

The Samsung i5700, which is known as the Galaxy Portal in the United Kingdom and the Galaxy Spica elsewhere is (finally) getting an upgrade to Android 2.1. This has been rumored for a while, and last month, a leaked (and buggy) Android 2.1 ROM for the phone showed up online, but now, owners of the i5700 can get the real deal via the PC Studio 7 Software.

Android 2.1 is hotly coveted by all Android phone owners because it enables multi-touch for American phones (where it was previously disabled, probably because of Apple) and it also allows the phone to use a ton of new Google Apps, including Google Maps Nav which offers turn-by-turn directions, like what you’d find in a personal nav GPS.

Samsung’s press release promises users that Android 2.1 makes the Galaxy Spica a “highly intuitive communications device” that cites Android 2.1′s improved customization features, like live wallpapers, whatnot. While Android 2.1 improves the Android UI, the point is moot because the i5700 includes Samsung’s TouchWiz UI, of which, I’m not a fan. Android 2.1 also offers a new virtual keyboard, HTML5 support, better contrast ratios and better hardware performance.

To recap the Samsung i5700, it’s got a 3.2-inch screen, a 3-megapixel camera, and a GSM radio, running on a Samsung 800Mhz processor.

Samsung Galaxy Spica’s in Germany will be getting the update first, followed by the rest of Europe, then Asia, then the rest of the world. It’s nice to see some non-Nexus One phones finally getting the Android 2.1 update.