Samsung launches a third flip Feature smartphone, the SM-W2014

Samsung is suddenly an innovator, it would seem. Well Samsung has decided to launch yet a third flip phone smartphone called the SM-W2014 which is as yet named but features a Quad-Core Snapdragon 800 Processor as stated in the article “New Samsung Android flip phone bubbles up with quad-core CPU”, published October 9, 2013 10:29 AM PDT by Scott Webster, CNET News.

It’s said to be packing the following specs, based on the Tenaa listing page that written in Korean, for those who love reading foreign languages using Google Translate:

1.     Processor: Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800

2.     Rear camera: 13-megapixel

3.     Memory: 2GB RAM

4.     Display: 2 3.67-inch 800x48- pixel displays similar to the Samsung Galaxy golden and the Samsung Galaxy Hennessy

Remember the article I’d done on the Samsung Galaxy Folder in my blog article entitled “Samsung to launch the Samsung Galaxy Folder phone in Q4 of 2013 - Android improvement of the Feature phone is the R.I.P.D. resurrected Feature Smartphone”?

Well Samsung brought that feature smartphone with the flip phone action to life on Wednesday August 21^st 2013 and it was eventually rebranded the Samsung Galaxy Golden as stated in the article “Behold, the Samsung Galaxy Golden Android flip phone”, published August 21, 2013 10:36 AM PDT by Scott Webster, CNET News. Unfortunately it’s not for Americans or anyone in the West; it’s strictly a South Korean Affair selling for some 790,000 won ($700 US).

There seems to be a need for a Feature Phone form factor with all the Smartphone Features and stylings and a bit simpler to use – and yes – good ole’ alphanumeric key. The alleged specs of the Samsung Galaxy Folder picked up by GSMArena “Samsung Galaxy Folder leaks, puzzles everyone”, published 16 July, 2013, GSMArena are now confirmed:

1.     OS: Android 4.2 Jelly Bean

2.     Processor: Dual-core 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4  

3.     Screen: 2 800 x 480 pixels resolution 3.7-inch Super AMOLED touch screens mounted back-to-back.

4.     Rear Facing Camera: 8-megapixel Camera

5.     Wireless Internet: 4G LTE

6.     Main Features:

a.      Alphanumeric keyboard

b.     Pedometer

c.      FM Radio

d.     Samsung's S Health

The Samsung Galaxy Golden is the same flip Phone with Dual Screen that runs Google Android called the Samsung Galaxy Folder as stated in “Samsung at work on dual-screen 'Galaxy Folder' – report” published August 1, 2013 7:05 AM PDT by Don Reisinger, CNET News and “Samsung going old school? Report says it's making a flip Phone”, published July 19, 2013, 1:18 p.m. By Salvador Rodriguez, The Los Angeles Times. It’s a little late, as it’s come out long after the alledged launch date of Saturday August 3^rd 2013 as stated in “Samsung Galaxy Folder leaks again, named Galaxy Golden”, published 03 August, 2013, GSMArena.

On Wednesday August 14^th 2013, Samsung had OFFICIALLY launched the Dual-SIM (Subscriber Identification Module) 3.3” Dual-Screen Flip phone called…wait for it….wait for it….the Samsung Hennessy SCH W789 as stated in “Samsung Hennessy clamshell Android Smartphone now official”, published 14 August, 2013, GSMArena and “Samsung announces the Hennessy, a dual-screen, quad-core Android flip phone”, published Wednesday August 14 2013 by Alex Colon, GigaOM.

Then Samsung, apparently drunk from Hennessey and possibly listening too little too much Bounti Killa, launched yet another flip phone smartphone as described in my blog article entitled “Samsung launches the Dual-SIM 3.3” Dual-Screen Samsung Hennessy SCH W789 in China - The Samsung Galaxy Folder’s is Bounti Killa’s It’s a Party who sips on Hennessy”.

The specs for the Bounti Killa inspired Samsung Hennessy SCH W789 as described in my Geezam blog article entitled “Samsung Hennessy is official: a dual-screen flip-phone with a quad-core CPU  Mobile”, published Aug 14th, 2013 at 2:20 AM By Alexis Santos, Engadget which actually exists and is being sold in the Chinese and South Korean market as we speak are a little closer to home:

1.     OS:  Google Android 4.1 aka Jelly Bean

2.     Processor:  1.2GHz quad-core CPU

3.     Screen: 3.3”, Capacitive Touch Screen on outside and inside

4.     Memory:  1GB

5.     External Storage:  MicroSD slot

6.     Dimensions:  110.85 x 59.3 x 18.62mm

7.     Weight:  208g

8.     Camera:  5-megapixel rear camera

9.     Battery:  1,500mAh battery

10.  Network:  CDMA and GSM (World phone)

11.  SIM:  2 SIM slots (Full Dual-SIM Support with live call switching)

Personally I’m praying for the following to sweeten the deal, as these smartphones are as large as WiMaX modems:

1.     Wi-Fi Tethering

2.     Sapphire Screen

3.     US$99 price with 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) Data Plan

Samsung, why so mean? Why launching only in China and South Korea? Westerners wanna be Guinea pigs too!

Samsung going retro with Flip phones – Bigger and Retro suddenly back in Style

Holy Smokes Batman [play the 1960’s Batman Theme song in the background!]. Now with this new smartphone, Samsung has now a total of three (3) Feature phone smartphones. But why?

But why is the Samsung Flip Phone, especially as it appears to be a retro rehash that doesn’t jive with the trend towards large screen Smartphones as opined in “Looking for a state-of-the-art Android flip Phone? Of course you aren’t!”, published July 17, 2013 by Andy Boxall, DigitalTrends?

The answer is simple that there’s a trending towards not only a more retro design simpler phones ones that have advanced Features in a smartphone form factor. Like Duh-uh, the best way to capture the Milennial (ages 28-45) who may still find the smartphones daunting as they don’t look like traditional phones!

So you can’t “seh me neva did a warn you” as Samsung appear to be bringing sass, style and yes, sexy back, with the introduction of what appears to be a new category of feature Smartphone being Guinea Pig tested in the Far East!

7” Tablets have laid their mark on the upper bounds of Smartphone territory as noted in my Geezam blog article entitled “The Two Towers of Tablets, 7” Amazon Kindle Fire and 7.9” Apple iPad are the Global Tablet size of Choice”. Samsung has already staked claim to the 6” territory with a new set of devices, the so-called phablets, a very large and obnoxious cross between a Tablet and a Smartphone.

The first of which was the 5” Samsung Galaxy Note as stated in “Samsung Galaxy Note 2 review: The ultimate anti-iPhone”, published April 2013, CNET News which made its debut in 2011. Then the ginormous 6.3” Samsung Galaxy Mega landing with a might thud in April 2013 as described in “Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3-inch phablet, hands-on”, published April 18, 2013 12:55 GMT (05:55 PDT) By Ben Woods, ZDNet.

These Phones satisfy those people with large hands and obviously even larger pockets of spaces in their bags to carry the device. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 launch in the Third Quarter of 2013 confirms this trend as explained in my blog article entitled “Samsung Galaxy Note III is an excellent alternative to the Apple iPhone - Phablet competition from the HTC One Max and the Sony Xperia Z Ultra signals long lasting trend”.

Samsung Galaxy Trifecta of Flip Phones – Look like a dapper Chinese Drug Kinpin

Based on its size, dimensions and weight, it’s a little brackish and on the hefty side…making it a perfect retro clamshell throwback to the glory days of flip phones but with Smartphones stylings. Many have harsh words to say about Samsung’s blast from the past, but I for one welcome this chuck-worthy feature Smartphone mashup!

No matter, this trifecta of Flip phone smartphones (that’s what I’m calling it!) dovetails perfectly into Samsung’s multi-Phone strategy of making many different models to cater to different types of customer. This Phone would be more for customers wishing to go Android but more comfortable with a traditional smaller Flip Phone form factor.

This may mainly appeal to my generation, that being Generation X (Ages 29 to 45) and Baby Boomers (ages 46 and older) whose number are growing as they’re increasingly living longer and thus becoming a market that wants to upgrade but finds Smartphones a challenge to use.

Seriously too, as albeit I write about tech, using the tech is another matter! Millennials (ages 18 to 28), who usually have very short memories, may recall the clamshell form factor Motorola Pebl and thus may also like the Samsung Hennessy SCH W789 flip phone Smartphone feature.

They may, however, find need to rant about the weight and dimensions of this clamshell form factor, which are a tad on the scale tipping side! But if you wanna look like a dapper Don or Colombian Drug lord, then this big phone with it modern slick trends perched on your hips should help to pull off the look!

It may also be aimed at the Developing World, where 4G LTE is now beginning to find root but upgrading to an expensive Smartphone may be out of the question. For that market, Samsung and Intel have collaborated on Tizen OS, which Samsung has in the wings as stated in my Geezam blog article entitled “Samsung’s Tizen OS launched to partake in Apple and Google’s App Economy”.

Having a Feature Smartphone that’s Android would make it easier to transition people from Feature Phones to Budget Tizen OS Smartphone and then eventually more upmarket Tizen OS Smartphones, as the aim is indeed to replace Google Android with Tizen OS as concluded by my Geezam blog article entitled “Samsung tweets launch date for Samsung Galaxy S4 Event even as they prep Tizen OS to replace Android”.

Future horizons for Feature phone smartphones – Wearable Technology Heralds

So it’s simple then. Samsung Galaxy Golden, the Samsung Hennessy SCH W789 and now the soon-to-be launched SM-W2014 is going for the one-two combo punch of an Easy-to-use Feature Smartphone, creating a whole new category of Phone just to woo Generation X (Ages 29 to 45) and Baby Boomers (ages 46 and older) and Developing World peeps over to Tizen OS with Google Android as bait.

But why pree, says Samsung? The Samsung Hennessy SCH W789 is ALREADY out and about prowling around in China, price still unknown as I can’t read Chinese Tech Blogs as my Mandarin is a bit rusty. Thus, it’ll be a few months from now before we know if it’s a success or not. By then Jamaican will be rocking this retro yet very technology forward flip smartphone!

Hopefully people will gravitate toward it in much the same way they mysteriously like the face-hiding sun-blocking Samsung Galaxy Note, the Samsung Galaxy Mega and now the Samsung Galaxy Note III as described in my blog article entitled “Samsung Galaxy Note III is an excellent alternative to the Apple iPhone - Phablet competition from the HTC One Max and the Sony Xperia Z Ultra signals long lasting trend”.

The privileged few here in Jamaica may soon get to sip some Hennessy, Bounti Killa “It’s a Party” Style!