Samsung invades HTC territory with Android handset

IDG News Service - Samsung Electronics today joined with network operator Taiwan Mobile to try to steal the spotlight from rival High Tech computer by launching a handset with Google Inc.'s Android mobile software, the Samsung i7500, in Taiwan.

HTC, the Taiwanese company that worked with Google to develop the first smartphone based on Android, the T-Mobile G1 (also called HTC Dream) had already sent out invitations to a Tuesday press party to launch its third and latest Android handset in Taiwan, the HTC Hero.

HTC reportedly plans to team up with mobile service provider Chunghwa Telecom to market the Hero in Taiwan. The companies worked together to launch the HTC Magic, which comes free from Chunghwa with certain mobile service contracts.

Samsung's i7500.

Samsung announced the i7500, its first Android-based smartphone, in April. The device has a 3.2-inch touchscreen, a 5-megapixel camera and 8GB of internal memory, among other features.

The HTC Hero also sports a 3.2-inch touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera and other features.

Developed by Google, Android is a smartphone operating system that is meant to make Web browsing easy, especially on Google sites such as YouTube and Google Maps.