Samsung has announced its first Android phone for the Korean market, the Android 2.1-ready SHW-M100S phone, says SamsungHub,. In other Android news, several sites have tipped an HTC-made “Incredible” phone, and Acer reports hot sales of its “Liquid” smartphone.

According to SamsungHub, Samsung has announced its first phone for its home market of South Korea and its first phone to run the new Android 2.1. The SHW-M100S (or just M100S), pictured in a SamsungHub shot below, is said to be slated for a March release on SK Telecom, which recently also signed up for another Android model: the Motorola Motoroi.

Samsung M100S
(Source: SamsungHub)

The M100S incorporates an unnamed 800MHz processor, as well as a generous 3.7-inch WVGA touchscreen based on AMOLED organic LED technology, says the story. Other cited features include 802.11n WiFi, GPS, a 3.5mm headphone jack, T-DMB mobile TV, and DivX support. The five-megapixel camera is also said to support 720p video recording.

Software includes Samsung's TouchWiz UI, Social Networking Service (SNS), and access to both Android Market and SK Telecom's T store, says SamsungHub. Pricing was not announced, says the story.

HTC readies "Incredible" phone

HTC is prepping an "Incredible" new Android phone, says PocketNow, which has posted leaked photos and a few specs for the upcoming Samsung Incredible. The Incredible (pictured at right in a leaked PocketNow photo) will be sold by Verizon and runs Android 2.1 with HTC's Sense UI overlay, says the story. Built around a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, the phone offers 256MB of RAM, and a "3.5-3.7-inch" displays, according to PocketNow's tipster.

The source told the site that the phone's display was "very vibrant," with a good possibility of AMOLED technology in play. The Incredible also offers an optical mouse pointer and dual LED flashes, says the story.

The Incredible had previously been tipped on Jan. 2 by Phandroid, but without photos, and with few details. The story based its findings on some leaked scans of a brochure that listed the phone as being called both the "Bravo" and the "Incredible." The brochure touted the phone's 3.7-inch AMOLED display, high-definition camcorder, as well as Dolby and DivX support.

Acer Liquid gains interest

Acer president Gianfranco Lanci told BusinessWeek that the company had enjoyed stronger-than-expected sales of its Snapdragon-based Acer Liquid Android phone, leading to shortages of the device. Acer expects to ship at least 250,000 Liquid handsets by the end of this quarter, compared with initial expectations for 150,000 to 200,000, according to the story.

Acer Liquid, with dimensions

Acer expects total smartphone sales for the Taiwan-based computer giant, including those running Windows Mobile, to total between 2 million and 3 million units this year, Lanci was said to have told BusinessWeek. Within three years, smartphones will contribute 10 percent of Acer's revenue predicts Lanci, who told BusinessWeek. that this would happen one year earlier than had been anticipated. The Liquid is manufactured by Taipei-based Compal, but later this quarter, Acer will announce a second Android phone that is instead built by Foxconn, says the story.

The Liquid was announced with minimal details in October, and went on sale in the U.K. via several retail sites in early December. More complete specs are now available from Acer (see link farther below).

The Liquid is said to run Android 1.6 on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8250, clocked to 768MHz, and offers 256MB RAM, and 512MB internal flash, says Acer. An SD slot is said to hold cards with up to 32GB.

The Liquid offers a 3.5-inch capacitive WVGA touchscreen, plus HSPA 3G, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, and a five megapixel camera with autofocus and geo-tagging, says the company. Other touted features include a microUSB port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, as well as several LED activity indicators. The phone is also said to offer Acer's own "Spinlets" UI skin and streaming media technology.

Availability

The SamsungHub story on the Samsung M100S may be found here.

The PocketNow story on the HTC Incredible phone may be found here, and the earlier Phandroid story should be here.

The Acer Liquid product page may be found here, and the BusinessWeek story on Acer's Liquid sales should be here.

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