To date, we only knew that Samsung was not planning to release an Android-powered handset until the second half of 2009. In an interview with Forbes during CTIA, Dr. Won-Pyo Hong, a Samsung executive vice president in the mobile communication division, revealed some new details on what Samsung has in store when it comes to Google’s Android mobile operating system. Details are few but the company will release three Android handsets in 2009.
The first model will launch in June. Unfortunately, it will launch outside of the United States (and presumably Canada). Instead it will go to Europe where it will be offered by several carriers.
The United States will see the other two Android handsets sometime in the second half of 2009. The two will go to different carriers (likely to be Sprint and T-Mobile) and will look quite different.
Hong also revealed that Samsung is customizing the Android operating system to focus less on Google services. The decision is to make operators happy and I expect that it means a greater emphasis on services offered by the carriers themselves.