Samsung, Sony Ericsson Play Catch Up with MWC Smartphone Unveilings

The smartphone space got a little more crowded this weekend as Samsung Electronics and Sony Ericsson, playing catch up with rivals Apple (News - Alert), Nokia and RIM, unveiled new devices in this category at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

New from Samsung (News - Alert) is the Wave, a touch-screen device based on the company’s Bada operating system. This smartphone has a 3.3-inch screen; five-megapixel camera; HD video capability; and the ability to use the application store that Samsung launched in Britain, France and Italy in 2009 and plans to open to 50 countries this year.

The Wave, for which pricing was not disclosed, reportedly will be the centerpiece of Samsung’s smartphone portfolio in 2010 and is scheduled to hit the streets in May.

Sony Ericsson (News - Alert), meanwhile, this week unleashed the X10 Mini and X10 Pro, “little brothers” to the Xperia X10 Android device the company introduced late last year. Sony Ericsson (News - Alert) also is planning to introduce a Symbian-based device called the Vivaz Pro, which supports HD video.