Samsung takes a leaf out of Apple’s book for the next Yepp PMP
When the iPod touch first came out back in 2007, it caused quite a stir being "an iPhone without the phone," with the same OS, interface, web browser, and app store access as its big brother. This brought a whole host of MID credentials to the PMP market. Since then, only a few devices have followed loosely in its tracks, but they have usually approached it from a less direct perspective, tagging on MID functionality to a core PMP device.
With the latest addition to the Samsung Yepp family, the YP-MB2, it looks like the Korean company has taken a leaf straight out of Apple's book, creating what could be considered the Android equivalent of the iPod touch. Bearing a strong similarity to and being derived from the recently released Galaxy S smartphone (also known as the Captivate, Vibrant, Epic, and Fascinate in the US depending on carrier), the YP-MB2 is simply a Galaxy S without the phone, meaning it will likely feature the same 4-inch Super AMOLED screen, 1GHz Hummingbird ARM Cortex-A8 processor, Android 2.1 OS, GPS, and WiFi and Bluetooth wireless radios. 3G connectivity is excluded like its Apple counterpart.
The Android OS also opens up the possibility of using the large variety of apps available, although at this point it remains to be seen whether the new Yepp will have access to Android Market, with it being in a similar position to most other non-smartphone Android devices.
On the bright side, the price should definitely be cheaper than its phone brethren; it's rumored to be around US$250. Currently the official announcement hasn't come from Samsung yet, with no indication about a release date and availability, but Engadget notes that a Korean shopping site has indicated that the device is "coming soon."
I'm pretty excited about the new Samsung Yepp, as I have been waiting for an Android equivalent of the iPod touch for ages! From a hardware standpoint it sounds fantastic with the superb screen and processor being the highlights. On the other hand, I believe the inclusion of Android Market access is likely to be a key factor in the appeal and success of the new PMP.
I hope more manufacturers will catch up and also develop high-end Android PMPs, but we also can't forget the rumors of the fourth-gen iPod touch based on the iPhone 4. The PMP/MID market is definitely looking to get more exciting in the second half of the year! Check out a leaked video of the YP-MB2 below and share your thoughts in the comments.
[Liliputing]
