Verizon Wireless is beefing up its Android stock with the pending launch of a Samsung Galaxy S phone. Dubbed Fascinate, the smartphone will launch on Verizon's network this week.

The Samsung Galaxy S Fascinate runs the Android 2.1 operating system with support for Google mobile services, including Gmail, YouTube and the Android market. The phone boasts a 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird application processor and a four-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen display.

"Fascinate has better hardware performance than HTC and Motorola, particularly in terms of graphics -- and it's screen is incredibly bright and colorful," said Avi Greengart, an analyst at Current Analysis. "It slots somewhere between the 3.7-inch screen on the Droid Incredible and the 4.3-inch screen on the Droid X. Samsung has a four-inch screen. Some consumers may find that a happy medium."

Will Samsung Fascinate?

Fascinate is no iPhone killer, but it may turn the heads of some Verizon Wireless customers, especially those who have been frustrated with smartphone shortages this summer. With Samsung's Galaxy S phones making headlines, the Fascinate could become a quick favorite at Verizon -- especially if Samsung can keep it in stock.

Greengart, for one, is expecting Samsung to do better job with supply chain issues than some of its competitors. That, he said, is because Samsung makes many of its own components. The ability to manufacture displays and other components in house has become a key differentiator in a hot smartphone market.

"Given the scarcity of some of these smartphone components, particularly the displays, we are definitely seeing that simply having the product available for sale has become an actual differentiator," Greengart said. "So if HTC can't get the Droid Incredible in stock and if Motorola can't keep the Droid X in stock, then Samsung may be able to steal sales simply by having a product on the shelf."

Samsung's Battle

Fascinate offers full HTML Web browsing capabilities and comes preloaded with Bing Maps and Bing Search, despite being an Android-powered phone. The phone also touts 3M mobile hotspot capabilities so consumers can turn their phones into wireless modems for up to five compatible Wi-Fi-enabled devices.

Fascinate will compete against a Verizon line up that includes the HTC Incredible, Motorola Droid X and Motorola Droid 2. Smartphone for smartphone, Greengart said Motorola and HTC offer a better software experience. If all phones remain in stock, he expects consumers to pick the device that best meets their hardware preferences, software customization needs, or personal style.

"Samsung Galaxy S phones are running TouchWhiz, which has some nice features in integrating various calendars and e-mail accounts," Greengart said. "But otherwise is not significantly better than the stock Android experience. In some ways it's being different just to be different. Both HTC and Motorola have fairly sophisticated widgets that are better than Samsung's TouchWhiz widgets and better than Android stock widgets."

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