The fact that we’re seeing brand-new handsets being cooked up in R&D labs around the world without 3G radios in tow is a surprisingly sad revelation indeed. With the almighty Motorola MOTOZINE ZN5 failing to give complement its 5 megapixel Kodak camera with an HSDPA data connection, we figured the 3G oversight was limited to Moto’s somewhat myopic vision.
Alas, it seems Samsung has given in to making new mobile phones without any 3G guts to back up its smartphone roots. Powered by Windows Mobile Professional 6.1, the Samsung i740 brings integrated GPS, FM radio, Bluetooth, microSD card slot, and 3 megapixel camera to the table. And, seeing as how WinMo’s Professional-flavored mobile OS is running the show, the 2.8-inch touchscreen makes sense. But, with nary an EDGE connection to speak of, the Samsung i740 will be hobbling along at GPRS speeds. Sad, isn’t it?
The decision to keep the pricier 3G chipsets out of handsets is likely motivated by both financial and demographic factors. Of course, saving a few bucks on every handset allows for larger margins. But, are handset manufacturers catering to demographics without a need for high-speed data by doing away with 3G data? And, if they are, how large a market is there for devices with pokey-slow wireless data connections?