Samsung Android phone finally hits O2
Got here at last....
Updated Samsung’s first Android-based smartphone has finally appeared for sale on O2’s website.
Samsung's i7500: now available from O2
The Galaxy i7500 is available for free on a £73-per-month ($120/€83) contract which includes 3000 minutes' call time and 1000 texts. But it will set you back £244 ($397/€276) if you opt for the £19-per-month contract featuring just 75 minutes of calls and 250 texts.
The site says the phone is "in stock".
Anxious i7500 buyers had, until now, been kept in the dark by O2 about when Samsung’s Android phone would launch on the network.
In recent weeks, speculation had begun building in an O2 online forum that the i7500’s launch had suffered a serious setback after allegedly failing to pass O2's handset accreditation process.
O2 refused to set the record straight, stating only that all phones go through a “customer experience process” prior to launch.
Update
O2 has since added a selection of additional tariffs options to the Galaxy i7500.
You can now choose between 18- and 24-month contracts. The phone’s cheapest 18-month contract is £19.58-per-month, but you’ll have to pay £244.67 for the i7500. Sign a £44.05 or £73.41-per month contract and you'll get the phone for free, though.
On 24-month contracts, the i7500 is free on £39.15 and £68.51-per month deals. The handset costs £244.67 on the cheapest 24-month deal, priced at £14.69. ®
COMMENTS
Ah yes well...
The thing you need to bear in mind is that as discussed on many many other forums including O2's own (ignored by them) customer forum is that the explanation goes like this:
All of O2's subsidy budget is spent on the iPhones.
Only on the iPhone can you get a years free data+cloud. (more subsidy).
Thus all of their other phones are expensive. The smartphones are even more expensive as they are in competition with the iPhone for customers. So basically they don't want your business unless you pay through the nose. It's also assumed that the iPhone either comes to O2 at a discount or makes them a lot of revenue after the first year once you are a data junky. So again all the other phones are expensive.
I've got one of these...
And I like it, mostly. I like Android, I like the hardware except for the slightly-too-much-pressure-required touchscreen.... the only seemingly dodgy thing might be the battery life, which I'm currently testing. Not sure I'm keeping it, as if the battery life blows it's gotta go back. It's a 1500mAh battery for God's sake! I thought AMOLED was LOWER power draw!
I upgraded from my N95 to this, and I'm paying nowhere near this much... in fact I got the thing free!! Can't believe how much O2 are asking for for the thing. Ridiculous.
If I have to send it back I might be forced to consider an iPhone 3GS.
Sony Ericcson Rachael anyone?
Samsung's Android is a no no
O2 can really RAM up their 'BA HINES' What the F*** is the fuss about this android anyway?I thought people would have learnt that any new system takes time to stabilize.Plus if you hang on for a while, new,better,cheaper and more efficient android phones would be released in the nearest future.
I was so desperate for this samsung I7500 phone to come out so I could cop one, but eh eh, I ain't getting nothing - not for that price plus the fact that there isn't enough applications yet as compared to the windows based applications we used on windows mobile.
I tell you people, just get an OMNIA, that is a perfect fine phone and wait till these people get to their senses and bring down the prices or tariffs.
I thought I could install my old windows applications i loved so much on the android but EH EH, i have to wait for developers to design similar applications- No Way.
Too expensive, contracts too long, and O2 data network is poor
I was holding out for this. But I'm not paying those prices, especially on an 18 or 24 month contract. Also the data coverage on O2 seems to suck where I live and work. So I'll probably be going elsewhere when I renew.
The futures bright ...
My HTC Hero from orange will be here tomorrow so O2 can ram there exclusive android phone :)
