Having heard talk earlier today about the Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000 and a huge simultaneous roll-out, Samsung themselves have confirmed that the Android 2.1 smartphone has launched in Europe, and will follow on to the rest of the world – US included – later in 2010.  The company also confirms the sizeable carrier pick-up, too; apparently over 100 operators are going to be offering the smartphone.

As for the Galaxy S itself, that has a 4.0-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen, 1 GHz Hummingbird processor, TouchWiz 3.0 user-interface, Swype text input and a 5-megapixel autofocus camera.  There’s also a front-facing camera for video calls, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0.  No word on pricing at this stage.

Press Release:

Samsung Galaxy S Launches with Industry-leading Technological Innovations

More than 100 operators across the globe choose the Samsung Galaxy S as their key smartphone market driver

ZURICH, Switzerland – June 2, 2010 – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading mobile phone provider, today announced the launch of Samsung Galaxy S (Model: GT-I9000), a new class of smartphone that will deliver a wealth of intelligent, immersive and integrated experiences for users. The Samsung Galaxy S will change the way people think about smartphones.

The Samsung Galaxy S has been extremely well received by retailers and operators around the world; in fact over 100 mobile operators across the globe have selected the Galaxy S as their key smartphone market driver. Available across Europe at launch, the Galaxy S will roll out to the rest of the world including the US later this year.

“The Android-powered Samsung Galaxy S will set a new standard for smartphones, and the excitement we’ve seen from operators and retailers for this device is testament to that,” said JK Shin, president and head of the Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “The Samsung Galaxy S is the perfect device for people in all corners of the world who want that extra edge; to be more effective, productive, better connected, and in tune with their smart life – both personal and professional – all in a very easy and simple way. We’re extremely confident that this device is going to be very successful in every market.”

As part of Samsung’s drive to democratize the smartphone market, the Galaxy S will be the flagship model of the smartphone range Samsung will introduce this year. It will also offer enhanced opportunities for developers and new revenue streams for operators. JK Shin continued, “Everyone is going to benefit from this revolutionary new device: from the consumer with the phone in their hand, to application developers and the many global operators who have signed up to support the Galaxy S. This truly is a phone for the whole ecosystem.”

Featuring Samsung’s dazzlingly bright 4-inch Super AMOLED screen and a 1 GHz application processor, the Android™-powered Samsung Galaxy S is designed to provide immersive, intelligent and integrated experiences, with the power to enrich people’s lives through best-in-class services and technologies. It will introduce people to the concept of the “Smart Life” – a smartphone experience that is simple, organize and integrated; one that enriches the lives of users.

The Galaxy S features Samsung’s super-fast TouchWiz 3.0 user-interface (UI), giving users instant access to their mobile lives. Smart Life is further enabled through intuitive, integrative features, including the Swype text input service, the rich augmented reality browser, Layar, and advanced Location Based Service (LBS) capabilities.

More than 50,000 applications from Android MarketÔ and Samsung Apps will allow users to extend the benefits and excitement of the smartphone experience even more. Users have access to GoogleÔ mobile services, such as Google SearchÔ, GmailÔ, and Google MapsÔ.

Galaxy S Key Features

eBook: Provides best-in-class reading experience on the phone. Customizable fonts, easy text search, and intuitive book list management offers convenient and customized reading experience.
HD Video: Super fast 1 GHz processor enhances HD video playing and recording features on dazzling Super AMOLD screen.
Daily Briefing: Offers instant access to weather, news, stocks, and the scheduler.
All Share: Enables inter-device connectivity via DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) technology.
Augmented Reality: Shows users’ surroundings and displays information on camera-view. Tele-Atlas POI provides richer information than ever.
Swype: Provides fast and easy way to input text on screen while on-the-move.
Write and go: Jot down an idea first and later decide on a format such as SMS/ MMS, email, calendar or memo.
ThinkFree: Apps to view and edit Microsoft Office 2007 documents.
Smart Alarm: Wakes up with a natural alarm sound and automatically turned-on display light.