A watch phone, for half the price

Samsung Electronics yesterday joined its rival LG Electronics in introducing a wearable mobile phone, dubbed a watch phone.

Samsung`s product, which will be released in France next week, is slimmer and cheaper than LG`s watch phone, but it has fewer features.

LG plans to launch its watch phone in England in August at the latest, an LG spokesperson said yesterday, adding the phone may be released in the U.S. market.

At first glance, Samsung`s Ultra Slim Watch Phone (S9110) looks similar to LG`s 3G Touch Watch Phone (LG-GD910), which was unveiled early this year. But the former has a slimmer profile and wider screen than its LG peer. Samsung`s phone is 11.98 millimeters thick compared with LG`s 13.9 millimeter phone. LG`s has a 1.76-inch touch screen compared with LG`s Electronics` 1.43-inch screen.



Samsung`s phone is half the price of LG`s, although it has fewer high-end features than its LG competitor. LG`s phone is priced at $1,200 as opposed to Samsung`s phone, which will go for $639 (450 euros).

However, Samsung`s latest phone does not do video calling and other third-generation services.

Users of Samsung`s watch phone also have to turn on the LCD screen when they want to check the time, unlike LG`s phone, which tells time even when the LCD screen is turned off.

Samsung claims it was the world`s first to create a watch phone in 1999, but it was LG that popularized the idea of a watch phone by unveiling the prototype in January this year.

The hefty price tag with the LG phone has been a barrier to sales.

"While LG`s watch phone is more of a concept product aimed at showing off its technology, our watch phone targets the mass market," a Samsung spokesperson said.

"We plan to roll out the product in France next week, and in other European countries afterwards," the spokesperson said.

An LG spokesperson said: "Our phone belongs to a different category than Samsung`s phone. Samsung`s watch phone is a low-priced watch phone."

The company previously said it would launch its watch phone in July, but he said the rollout could be delayed to August.

"We are in talks with a U.S. carrier for the launch of our watch phone," but declined to identify the carrier.

(hjjin@heraldm.com)



By Jin Hyun-joo