Samsung Serenata Challenges iPhone

Move over, iPhone. There’s a new high-capacity media phone in town and it’s… downright ridiculous. Samsung and Danish design firm Bang & Olufsen revealed their latest collaboration on Tuesday, the Serenata phone. Featuring B&O’s trademark over-the-top design, 4GB of storage and a 2.26-inch LCD screen, the Sereneta might not quite be ready to oust Apple in the technical arena, but as a status symbol, it certainly stands a chance.

The Serenata distinguishes itself from similar devices in a number of ways. For one, it’s not all touch screen. A giant scroll wheel with a center selection button dominates the upper half of the unit. Everything the player does, from music selection to text messaging, can be controlled with the wheel or the integrated touch screen.

In a more significant departure, the Serenata actually has a built-in speaker system. A panel on the back of the unit folds out, allowing it to be propped up, and the front and back of the phone slide apart as they would in a traditional slider phone, revealing two integrated speakers. No word yet on sound quality, but the companies promise rich bass and zero distortion, despite the tiny size of the speakers.

Bang & Olufsen also include some unique features tailored to the busy executive, like its PureMusic mode that cuts off phone calls and text messages to allow a user to relax and listen to music without disruptions. And forget pop-music ringtones, all of the built-in ringtones on the Serenata derive their names from the materials that make them – like steel for wind chimes, aluminum for a triangle, and various woods represented by the sounds they make when hollow.

The phone’s price hasn’t yet been announced, but given Bang & Olufsen’s traditional premiums, it should be just as extravagant as the rest of the phone. The phones are scheduled for a European release by the end of October, a spokesperson told PC World.

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