Earlier this year HTC released the first 4G phone, partnering with Sprint to launch the Evo 4G handset. Now Samsung is looking to get in on the 4G game.

Like HTC, the company is partnering with Sprint and its budding WiMax network to launch its Epic handset. The device has now been scheduled for a 31 August US release.

The Epic sports a 4-inch AMOLED touchscreen display along with a slide-down QWERTY keyboard. The device is powered by a 1GHz processor and removable storage through a microSD slot.

Samsung said that the device will ship with Android 2.1, though deployment of Android 2.2 is slated for release later this Fall.

Given the lack of Wi-Fi support in the UK, it's no wonder that Samsung hasn't given word on availability there (our request for comment went unanswered,) but those of us in Silicon Valley shouldn't get too smug, as there isn't any Wi-Fi down here either.

In fact, there are currently only a handful of major cities that are actually covered by Sprint's WiMax network. San Jose, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Boston are among the big markets that have yet to get any 4G coverage.

13 Aug 2010