Samsung Galaxy Lite I5700 Android phone

Many handset makers are planning Google Android phones, but thus far, only HTC has released devices in the United States. Samsung was the second company to offer an Android phone when it released the Galaxy I7500 overseas, but it remains uncertain if an American carrier will pick it up. New details, however, suggest that Samsung's second Android phone, the Galaxy Lite I5700, could make a run at a United States release.

The Galaxy Lite is the assumed cheaper version of the original Samsung Galaxy. Both the internal storage (1GB vs. 8GB) and the camera (3.2 megapixels vs. 5 megapixels) have been downgraded, but everything else appears to be the same.

Even with the reduced specifications, this phone is still on par with the T-Mobile MyTouch 3G. The main advantage of Samsung's Android phones has been their use of AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) screens. Benefits of an AMOLED display include lighter weight, low cost, and their ability to consume significantly less power than current LCD displays.

Two weeks ago the Samsung Galaxy Lite gained FCC approval. The phone was tested on the 850 and 1900 bands, which are the same that AT&T uses for its 3G network. To date, though, AT&T has been very quiet about its official Android plans, so it might be a while before we get any details.

Technology blog ar.is got its hands on a demo unit and uploaded a video. The early review unit features an Android green battery cover, but we expect to see a more conservative color in the final version of the handset.