Smartphones push for Christmas rush

The Samsung Galaxy Note II is the world's largest smartphone, with a 5.5-inch screen. Picture: Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson Source: News Limited

THE FINAL and fiercest battle in this year's phone wars is underway.

Smartphone makers are rushing stock to retailers knowing tech-loving shoppers will eagerly hand over their money in the weeks before Christmas.

The world's biggest smartphone - dubbed the phablet - goes on sale in Australia this week.

Like other new releases, Samsung's Galaxy Note II is likely to be snapped up in record numbers.

Google sold out of its latest smartphone in just 22 minutes last week, and buyers snapped-up all of Telstra's new Windows Phone 8 devices from Nokia.

Optus and Telstra also launched a raft of new 4G smartphones, including models for first-time users and pre-paid handsets for those looking to phone in Christmas gifts.

Samsung Australia telecommunications vice-president Tyler McGee said the company had worked hard to get the 5.5-inch Galaxy Note II out before the Christmas rush, after consumers in other countries snapped up 3 million in its first month on sale.

"Christmas is a very important time for smartphone sales," Mr McGee said. "There are a lot of people who buy smartphones as gifts and there are plenty of people who buy themselves a phone gift for Christmas."

Mr McGee said the unusually large phone was likely to be popular with business people "looking to replace a paper diary or organiser" and female users who could comfortably carry a large phone in a handbag.

But Samsung is hardly the only company selling pre-Yuletide smartphones. Google launched its latest smartphone, the LG-made Nexus 4, to buyers in seven countries this week, starting with Australia.

The 16GB phone model sold out here within 22 minutes.

LG senior mobile marketing manager Brad Reed said the company was surprised by the sell-out, but hoped it would help rebuild the company's "credibility with consumers" after a tough run.

"We're delighted with the attention given to the Nexus 4," he said. "I don't know the volume of units Google sold but 22 minutes is a record."

Telstra also sold all available Nokia Windows Phone 8 handsets this week, with the Lumia 920 now unavailable in stores until November 27.

A Telstra representative said global demand for the phone had been "higher than expected".

The company also launched a suite of 4G prepaid phones early this week, while rival Optus debuted another 4G phone, the HTC One SV.

Smartphone ownership has almost doubled in Australia in the past year, according to a new report from the Australian Communications and Media Authority, which found 49 per cent of Australians own smartphones, up from just one in four people.

JINGLE BELLS RING: FOUR SMARTPHONES FOR THE CHRISTMAS RUSH

Samsung Galaxy Note II: This phone-tablet hybrid is the biggest smartphone ever released thanks to its 5.5-inch screen. It also features cutting-edge features including a 1.6GHz quad-core chip, the ability to take notes with a stylus while on the phone, and to show two apps on screen at once.

Google Nexus 4: The 16GB version of this LG-made smartphone sold out in Australia in just 22 minutes. Perhaps the sales rush was due to Google's software additions, including a Photo Sphere mode for panoramic images in all directions, or perhaps because it can charge wirelessly and offers a crisp 4.7-inch screen.

Nokia Lumia 920: Nokia's first Windows 8 phone could be part of a comeback. The colourful block offers the biggest screen on any Nokia to date - a 4.5-inch display - and is one of the first phones to use Windows Phone 8 software. The phone uses a dual-core chip and an 8.7-megapixel camera.

Telstra EasyTouch 4G: Telstra could recruit new smartphone users with this pre-paid phone. The EasyTouch 4G is a basic Google Android model for first-time users. It features on-screen guides, four Telstra-made widgets for quick access to basic tasks and an easy-to-read 4.3-inch screen.

---

Dad: HTC Windows Phone 8X

- Uses Microsoft Windows software with which PC-using dads may be familiar

- Offers a unibody polycarbonate exterior good for slipping into back pockets

- Features a capable 8-megpixel camera for family portraits

Grandma/Grandpa: Telstra EasyTouch 4G

- Features a substantial 4.3-inch screen for easy viewing

- On-screen descriptions guide you through tasks

- Offers 4G connectivity for quick sharing

Mum: Samsung Galaxy S III 4G

- Samsung's flagship smartphone comes with 4G speed for fast photo sharing

- Offers easy-to-use software extras like announcing "Snap" to take a photo

- Comes with a free Navigator GPS app for street-by-street driving directions

Teenagers: Apple iPhone 5

- iMessage lets users send messages using the internet, saving on text message fees

- Offers the greatest library of apps, including games and streaming music services

- Facebook and Twitter are now built into the phone's software for quick updates

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