Available
now 30th August 2012
The Samsung ATIV S will be Samsung's first Windows 8 smartphone,
and indeed it is the first Windows 8 handset to be announced by
any manufacturer that we know of.
The word "ATIV" is the Latin word "VITA"
(to live) spelled backwards (for some reason), and the ATIV line
is made up of smartphones, tablets and computers all running the
Windows 8 operating system. For the first time, the operating system
on PCs and handheld devices will be built around the same core,
allowing easier migration of applications and also better ways to
integrate handheld devices into business environments.
So, although the ATIV S maintains the familiar interface from
Windows Phone 7, underneath everything is different because this
is yet another reboot of Microsoft's mobile phone OS.
The hardware specification is certainly a step up from the older
Windows Phone 7 devices, the ATIV S features a dual core 1.5 GHz
processor with 1GB of RAM, it comes with a large 4.8" HD display
(we think with 720 x 1280 pixels resolution, although this has not
been specified). On the back is an 8 megapixel camera with 1080p
HD video recording, plus a 1.9 megapixel unit on the front
for video calling.
This is an HSPA+ capable device with download speeds of up to
42 Mbps. The Samsung ATIV S also has all the features that any other
type of smartphone would have, including WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity,
GPS and GLONASS positioning systems plus a wide range of built-in
applications such as a web browser and media player, plus a growing
range of apps to download from Microsoft's online store.
Inside
is either 16 or 32GB of flash memory, and Windows 8 on smartphones
now supports removable memory, so you can use a microSD card as
well. There's a large 2300 mAh battery, and the whole unit measures
137 x 71 x 8.7mm and weighs 135 grams.
The market responded indifferently to the launch of Windows Phone
7, but now both Microsoft and Samsung have refined their strategies
and this version looks more promising. Windows 8 will be given a
further boost shortly when Nokia announces their first device on
this platform, but in the meantime Samsung have stolen a march on
their Finnish rivals with a complete line-up of devices.
We don't know when the ATIV S will be available, as this will
largely depend on how far Microsoft has progressed with their new
operating system, however we would hope to see this new handset
available by the end of the year. Will it succeed? Our bet is that
corporate customers will be most interested in this device at first
because of the way that it can integrate with their other Microsoft
products, and Windows 8 smartphones could well edge out BlackBerry
from this market. From there perhaps consumer acceptance will follow,
although it is likely to be some time before we see if Microsoft
has a winner on its hands.
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