But lets not be too brash-options are a good thing, and having one more smartphone platform to choose from cant hurt. Bada 2.0 has had several revisions since its initial release with the Samsung Galaxy Wave 3, and the latest stable build runs great on the comparatively limited Wave Y hardware.
Here is the complete feature list, as well as the potential deal-breakers:
Key features
3.2" HVGA capacitive touchscreen (320 x 480 pixels)
Bada OS 2.0 with Samsung Apps
832 MHz single-core CPU
Quad-band GSM support with dual-band HSPA
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n connectivity, Wi-Fi Direct support, Wi-Fi tethering
Built-in GPS receiver with A-GPS support, digital compass
2 GB microSD card bundled in, support for up to 32 GB via hot-swappable slot
Standard microUSB port and Bluetooth v3.0 with A2DP
Standard 3.5mm audio jack
Stereo FM radio with RDS
Webkit-based Samsung Dolphin Browser
YouTube client, Facebook and Twitter integration, including Samsungs ChatON messaging app
Shake-to-unlock and turn-to-mute
H.263/H.264/MP4 video support with subtitles, AC3 audio support
Voice recognition for both dictation and commands
Main disadvantages
Bada OS has limited number of available applications
Fixed focus 2 MP camera, no flash
No screen haptics
No proper Smart Dialling
SatNav software only a 30-day trial
Poor loudspeaker performance
For people coming from Android, the limited supply in Samsungs app store will be a major question mark. But the Bada app store has been slowly building up content. And to be honest, the likely Wave Y buyers are not coming from another smartphone. Samsungs Y models are targeting the young and the Wave Y will most probably compete with the Galaxy Y for the favor of the brands loyal users looking to replace a feature phone.
While obviously not as impressive as the Bada 2.0 flagship, the Wave 3, the Wave Y provides a good amount of extras which do not push the price too high. Thats good news if youre shopping on a budget.
