Samsung is apparently readying an Android-based music player based on its popular line of “Galaxy S” smartphones.
The Galaxy Player will be similar to Apple’s iPod Touch in that it’ll basically be an Android phone without the phone part, much like the iPod Touch is more or less an iPhone without the cellular chipset.
SamsungHub.com reports that the Galaxy Player will come in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB versions and will feature a 1GHz processor, 4-inch “Super Clear LCD screen” with an 800×480 resolution, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, a microSD card slot, and front- and rear-facing cameras. The device will also feature access to the Android Market for downloading apps.
Samsung has apparently confirmed that it’ll be showing the Galaxy Player at CES next week but there’s no word on pricing or availability yet.
Assuming this device is coming to the US, it’ll be a direct challenge to the iPod Touch and the first player from a major company with full Android Market access on board. If it’s priced aggressively enough, it could help to expand Android’s market share even more by opening the platform up to a segment of consumers who may be interested in Android but who aren’t willing to get locked into a two-year cell phone contract for the privilege of using it.
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