SMALLER, slimmer, speedier and still touch-friendly, the first mobile phones of 2010 sneaked out before the official launch of Mobile World Congress in Spain yesterday.

Sony Ericsson revealed three new smartphones, including two mini Google phones, while Samsung launched the slimmest handset to feature the market´s speediest chip.

Samsung and Sony Ericsson revealed new phones in duelling press conferences on different sides of Barcelona yesterday, with both promising to deliver new touchscreen handsets.

Sony Ericsson unveiled two shrunken versions of its Google-based smartphone in the X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro.

Both phones are almost square in shape and just 8.3cm and 9cm tall respectively.

The twosome also feature touchscreens, 5-megapixel cameras, GPS navigation and the Pro version has a slide-out keyboard.

Chief creation officer Rikko Sakaguchi said the phones “pushed the boundaries of what is possible with smaller devices” and would help web users navigate social networking and other websites on the go.

Meanwhile Samsung launched the thinnest phone to feature a speedy 1GHz processor – the fastest mobile phone chip available.

The 1cm-thin Samsung Wave, due out in April, shaves off bulk with a new Super AMOLED screen that eliminates one glass panel, and the phone will also be the first to use Samsung's Bada platform to deliver new, slicker apps akin to those seen on the Apple iPhone.

Samsung Electronics mobile communications president JK Shin said the Samsung Apps store would be launched in more than 50 new countries this year to appeal to users who “no longer see phones as devices for just voice communication”.

Mobile World Congress will continue until Thursday, with experts tipping launches from Nokia and new phone software from Microsoft.

via First new mobiles of 2010 revealed by Sony Ericsson and Samsung | News.com.au.