Sprint (NYSE: S) on Friday unveiled the Samsung Conquer 4G, an Android smartphone that will be available for purchase Aug. 21.
The Sprint Conquer from Samsung
The Conquer 4G is the first 4G smartphone from Sprint launched at less than US$100.
It has a 1 GHz processor, front and rear cameras, runs Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), and comes with Sprint ID widgets, shortcuts, ringtones and wallpapers.
Despite the price, the Samsung Conquer 4G is not just a cheapo smartphone that will offer only basic services.
“From a hardware point of view, it’s a smartphone people can glom onto easily,” Ramon Llamas, a senior analyst at IDC, told TechNewsWorld.
The Conquer 4G is “a good device that’s on par with other devices,” Llamas added. “It’s basically what people would expect.”
“The Conquer 4G enables us to bring a great 4G device to our customers,” Sprint spokesperson Natalie Papaj told TechNewsWorld. “We have been offering 4G for over a year now and have realized some cost savings.”
The Samsung Conquer 4G’s Tech Specs
The Conquer 4G has an enhanced 3.5-inch TFT touchscreen, a 3.2 MP rear-facing camera with flash and zoom, and a 1.3 MP front-facing camera for video chat.
It’s a dual-mode 3G/4G device, meaning it runs on 3G and, where 4G is available, on the faster network.
The Conquer 4G can serve as a mobile hotspot for up to five WiFi-enabled devices on either Sprint’s 3G or 4G networks.
It has a Sprint ID customizable user interface.
The Conquer 4G also comes with various Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) mobile services preinstalled. these include Google Search, Google Maps, Google Talk, Gmail and YouTube.
Further, the device syncs with Google Calendar and provides owners access to Google Goggles.
The Conquer 4G supports WiFi 802.11 b/g/n and GPS. It has Stereo Bluetooth wireless technology. It has a microSD card that supports up to 32GB of storage and comes with a 2GB card. It measures about 4.6 by 2.4 by 0.5 inches and weighs just over 4 ounces.