Samsung Galaxy S Secretly Launched In Europe

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Samsung wowed the tech blogs when they showed off their Samsung Galaxy S Android phone at the CTIA mobile phone trade show. The phone looks to be an Android superphone, similar to the Nexus One and HTC EVO 4G, and many in the Android community have been anticipating it’s release. Without warning, though, Samsung is reporting that the phone is out in Europe.

The story yesterday from the Korean IT Times said that the Samsung was planning to launch the device simultaneously in all 110 countries where it planned to offer the device. This would have probably been one of the biggest consumer electronics launches in history (in terms of scope), if not *the* biggest.

So that worldwide day-in-day launch never happened, but the phone was secretly dropped on an expecting Europe. Those of you in Europe should have no difficulties trying to find the device, as Samsung has revealed that a whopping 100 carriers (!) will be carrying the device worldwide.

Is Samsung trying to channel the iPhone here? Android phones are a strong iPhone competitor but different phones are out in different countries and on different carriers. The HTC EVO 4G is great, but only Sprint in the US can get it. Want the Nexus One? Too bad, have to be on T-Mobile US. Want the HTC Magic – hope you’re a Vodafone customer.

Contrast this to the iPhone, where the same recognizable hardware is out in every country in the world. If the Samsung Galaxy S, which appears to be a quality Android phone, is out in every country with a cell tower, could that help boost Android’s mindshare?

Although the phone is out in Europe now, Samsung says that the rest of the world, including the United States, can expect it later this year.