Samsung Epic 4G: UK denied QWERTY Galaxy S

June 28, 2010 11:02 am

Categories: Mobile Phones News Tags: Android, epic 4g, Samsung

The Samsung Epic 4G was unveiled overnight in the US, and it’s the Samsung Galaxy S Pro model we’ve seen floating around online for a while now, but better. Not only does it have the specs of the Samsung Galaxy S and a slide out QWERTY keyboard, it’s a 4G phone that can jump online at terrific speeds in areas with WiMAX. There’s just one catch: Samsung UK just confirmed to us that it won’t be coming out in Britain. Bah! Read on for the details.

Should you happen to live in the States, today is your lucky day. The Samsung Epic 4G is very similar to the Samsung Galaxy S we just reviewed (and loved) with two fantastic twists. Alongside the five megapixel camera, 1GHz CPU and 4-inch Super AMOLED screen, the Samsung Epic 4G has a slide out physical QWERTY keyboard, still a rarity on Google phones, and 4G WiMAX connectivity.

Unfortunately, the Samsung Epic 4G is only available with network Sprint in the US, and we just got word back from a Samsung UK spokesperson on whether a similar device with a keyboard is coming to the UK. The outlook’s not good: “There are no plans to launch that type of device this year in the UK,” we were told. Naturally, we’ve asked if that means next year instead, and are waiting for a response.

Read our Samsung Galaxy S review now

As with the HTC Evo 4G, we weren’t expecting 4G networks to appear in the UK overnight to make way for it, but it’s still crushing to find out that the Samsung Epic 4G’s form factor won’t be making its way to our shores anytime soon. We’d happily take all the features of the Samsung Galaxy S and a keyboard, and make do with 3G. Sadly though, you won’t even be able to import the Samsung Epic 4G, as it uses CDMA rather than GSM technology and won’t run on UK and European networks at all.

It looks like we’ll just have to make do with the Samsung Galaxy S in the meantime – far from a bad thing, but we always prefer choice.

Would you choose the Samsung Epic 4G over the Samsung Galaxy S? Are physical keyboards old hat? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Out TBC | £TBC | Samsung

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Uploader

of course i would choose the epic over a galaxy s without qwerty, in fact i'm not going to buy a galaxy s phone if it has no keyboard. if this is true and the epic isn't coming to uk and possibly the rest of europe this is truly epic fail!

bensillis

Won't be this year at any rate DAMN YOU British networks, where's our WiMAX and LTE already?

WeeBee

GSM is much more preferable since it’s available to the rest of the world instead of all that crappy shit they got in the US. Lock yourself here and lock yourself there….

http://www.facebook.com/michael.mainds Michael Mainds

It isn't just the keyboard, there is also the issue of the camera led flash.

At present I'd happily take a Samsung Epic 3G, if one isn't released I'll go for another Android keyboarded phone.
http://twitter.com/MeMatteh Matt

yeh same here, i was going to buy a galaxy s till I found out the epic 4g was not going to be released here.. they will loose a lot of customers

not you

Damn… will have to import one from the US… as long as it's available on a GSM network

bensillis

Doesn't look like it atm – Sprint's got it, and it uses CDMA.

http://www.facebook.com/JWadie John Wade

I'd chose the epic over the galaxy, not that just because of the qwerty although that is a big plus, but mainly because the only thing putting me off the galaxy is that it has no flash

bensillis

Alas, we don't have that choice in the UK
Davidoff

i have got the sameissue as yours, on top of that the qwerty keyboard looks very appealing, i do really want it for the UK, the Galaxy S puts me off a lot, besides it seems as is going to break!

Colin

I still refer a physical keyboard. I'm still using a Nokia E61 (2006). Nokia has taken too long to go touch screen and I can not wait for the Samsung Epic 4G to com to the UK. I need that keyboard.
Amberlodge1

I was so impressed when I saw the Samsung Galaxy S and even more so when the Epic was launched. I am crushed to find out that there are no plans for a UK GSM model.I can't even import one as it is CDMA and would not work over here..

Shin

Same here =( i was totally in love. and just found out that it is not coming to europe =(

Dante

True keyboard and flash is a plus, but still the touch keyboard is very responsive and swype is wery good, so no keyboard is not a minus, secondly flash on phones is overrated sometimes it even ruins the picture, the galaxy s with no flash does great pictures, even at night so no flash is not a minus, for bets pic u can just buy a digital camera that 4 times cheaper, so alhough we dont get galaxy epic 4g thats not a minus as galaxy S for europe is as good as epic 4g

http://twitter.com/MeMatteh Matt

its not as good as it does not have the keyboard
Guest

What? so having no flash is good then? – total rubbish!! Also, yes you can buy cheap cameras but then it's all about having all you kit in one device.

Bottom line – no flash is a deal breaker for many people………..including me!!!!

How could Samsung be so stupid?!?!

Sammy

sure. got an ericsson smart for a long time with sensitive display and real keyboard. actually i have that storm from rim. i hate it cause that stupid secure touch display is a curse for writing. i still love my old ericsson. never, never, never again without real keyboard! my opinion.

Info

4″ screen… Android 2.2 soon… Tactile qwerty keyboard…This would definitely be the Phone for me.
But they wont send it over to the UK – Bloody Yanks. I wont be buying any more Coca Cola as a punishment

bensillis

Fair's fair!
Sammy

… and no more fanta, sprite and relentless..

Sammy

from Germany: same.
Wanted to buy that Galaxy S and after been searching in google I found that Epic one. Very frustrated it won't make it over the sea. It's like: Oh, some's more equal than you and can choose now between iPhone and Samsung. And you can't cause you are not a U.S. citizen. Oh boy, that's dumb.
Nigel

I will not ever buy a phone without a physical qwerty keyboard again. I'd love to own an Android phone, but this is yet another reason why I don't. Sick to death of my Xperia X1, but at least it has a keyboard. Milestone is not a contender, poor keyboard, small screen and too slow. Hopefully HTC will come up with something.

bensillis

What about the Droid 2 if it comes to the UK?

http://www.facebook.com/people/Sergey-Kravchenko/100001326150508 Sergey Kravchenko

Droid 2 (or milestone 2) will come, but…
it has a 3 row keyboard without a num keys… so Epic 4G (well, 3G) with its 4 row qwerty definitely could be the really cool phone!

panda

waiting for galaxy S with qwerty keyboard. will buy

bensillis

You may be waiting some time in the UK – in fact it may never arrive.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MFJ63GJYROBJ73ZLHKVHRQUNZI jin

it is comming to the uk check the email samsung sent me With regard to your email, first my apologies for the delay in reply.
This is due to a backlog of emails but we are now working to clear this
as quickly as possible.
Regarding your query, yes this phone is coming to the UK but we do not
have a specific date yet.

and this is what samsung told me
Hello Sir. The Galaxy Pro has these specs.
1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, a 4-inch (800×480) Super AMOLED touch
screen, sliding QWERTY slider with raised keys, front-facing VGA camera,
5 megapixel camera with 720p video recording capability on back and of
course, 4G WiMAX support. The phone is running Android 2.1 with
Samsung’s TouchWiz 3.0 UI. It has the Hummingbrid Processor and will be
called the epic 4G

http://twitter.com/ahcor1991 ahcor1991

That's the american version (CDMA)

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MFJ63GJYROBJ73ZLHKVHRQUNZI jin

Well those specs are from Samsung UK???

bensillis

I'd love that to be the case but it seems unlikely – this Samsung rep seems unaware that there isn't a WiMAX network for phones in the UK.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MFJ63GJYROBJ73ZLHKVHRQUNZI jin

i sent another email to Samsung soon we shall know
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MFJ63GJYROBJ73ZLHKVHRQUNZI jin

Samsung emialed me again lol this time they are not confriming the specs lol take a look
Dear Jin,

Thank you for contacting Samsung Electronics.

Regardingyour case, kindly not that the phone is not released yet in
the UK market therefore we dont know all the features that will be
installed on the phone.

I kindly ask you to stay updated on the website so you canknow more
information once its updated.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Sergey-Kravchenko/100001326150508 Sergey Kravchenko

QWERTY keyboard is really important to me.
I'd like to have all Galaxy S features with 3G and full 4 row qwerty with numpads! Its sad that galaxy s pro with QWERTY wont come to Europe….
martijn

Waiting for Galaxy S with flash… So stupid from Samsung…

I know, it's not like a xenon flash, but as a grab 'n go flashlight it's very useful I think…

Too bad it won't come to UK/Europe
Vicky

i wannnnnnnnnnttttttttt this phone samsung stop being like this and make it 3g for the uk…wit all the features!!!!
Benbj

WHHY WHY !!!! i had my fuking heart set on this phone and it not even coming to the uk !!!!!SAD!!!! there missing out on lot's customers this is truly an epic FAIL :'(
Mr X

that is the phone i was waiting for… what a disappointment from otherwise great samsung – I want tis phone in the UK!!!
Guest

I would definitely take it with 3g. It’s what I expected of the HTC Desire Z, which has been a huge disappointment to me because 1) it doesnt have arrow keys (and the silly little trackpad is way too inaccurate) and 2) the backlight doesn’t work properly & as the letters are dark grey on black keys it’s impossible to see the keyboard letters 90% of the time.
Oink666

If UK was still holding onto as the 1st beast of revelation ie Ruling the waves the I assure you the Japs would have launched the QWERTY Samsung Pro S in UK 1st. But now the 1st beast UK has given rise to 2nd Best USA of revelation 13, so the Japs(Beady eye Koreans) afraid of being carpet bombed by USA have launched their best in USA

Samsung Epic 4G: UK denied QWERTY Galaxy S

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