Report: Samsung Readies New iPod Rival

Samsung will sell a stripped-down version of its successful Galaxy S smartphone as a digital media player, the first major product introduction since its cellphone division took control of the portable media player business earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

With the move, Samsung will round out a series of Galaxy-named gadgets that matches product for product with Apple Inc.'s line of iPods, iPad and iPhone.

Samsung will have the Galaxy Player, Galaxy Tab and Galaxy smartphone. All use a variation of Google Inc.'s Android operating system and work with apps developed for it.

The product has been rumored for months and some internet shopping sites in South Korea have created web pages for it that said "coming soon." Samsung formally announced it on Monday and said it would be available in South Korea next month, though it didn't set a shipping date. No price was announced, but pricing will depend on amount of built-in storage.

Samsung is aiming to roll it out in other countries in the April to June period and will display it at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week.

The product, called the Galaxy Player YP-GB1, matches most of the specifications of its Galaxy S phone, though its 4-inch touchscreen uses a liquid crystal display instead of newer organic LED and its operating system will be a more advanced version of Android. The gadget is 9.9 millimeters thick and weighs 121 grams.