T-Mobile to Sell Samsung Galaxy Blaze Next Month

The device touts the Android 2.3 platform, cutting-edge entertainment apps and a 4-inch AMOLED screen. T-Mobile is promoting the Blaze's navigation system, a sophisticated hands-free GPS.

The Bellevue, Wash.-based carrier pursued this exclusive partnership to bolster its reputation and keep up with competitors. Following its failed merger with AT&T, T-Mobile reformulated its strategy to hone in on high-end Android handsets. The Galaxy Blaze represents the latest in the company's roster of exclusive smartphones, and it points to the phone's high-speed capabilities as a huge plus.

T-Mobile is concentrating on amassing a strong portfolio of handsets and competitive pricing plans instead of developing an LTE network. Though its main rivals boast their LTE networks, T-Mobile insists its current HPSA+ system, which it calls 4G, runs just as fast. The carrier acquired a large chunk of spectrum after the unsuccessful merger, but appears reluctant to invest in a new system.

The company is hesitating on LTE but demonstrates conviction in its budget-friendly pricing strategy, slashing prices on popular smartphones to make room for the Galaxy S Blaze.

T-Mobile showcases its Samsung line, but the company recently mulled shelling out hefty fees to carry the iPhone 5. Carriers consider the iPhone essential inventory, despite its high costs, because customers often choose carriers based on the iPhone's availability. Despite T-Mobile's embrace of Samsung's smartphone line, the company recognized the need to carry Apple, despite its earlier insistence on Android's superiority.

Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G showcases a rapid 1.5-gigahertz dual-core processor and a ProApp pack with valuable business applications. Although T-Mobile added the iPhone to its roster to stay competitive, Samsung remains the star of its handset lineup, and the carrier expects the Galaxy S Blaze to perform well.