Sprint and Sanyo Launch Updated Katana II Slim Phone

Sanyo Katana II Black

Sanyo Katana II Steel

Sanyo Katana II Pink

One of Sprint's original competitors to the Motorola RAZR has received an update, with today's official release of the Sanyo Katana II for the network. Unfortunately, not a lot has changed between the two iterations of the theme, though the Katana II sports a much sleeker design and manages to come in at under 14mm (0.57") thick.

Specifications wise, the only things to report that have been enhanced for the Sanyo Katana II above its predecessor are an upgrade of the Bluetooth system to v2.0, quadruple the internal memory (which still only brings it to 20MB), and the previously mentioned sleeker design. The screen has been reduced 0.2" to a 2.0" unit, still displaying 65k colors and sporting a resolution of 240x320 pixels. The same VGA resolution camera is available in the Katana II, and a 1.0" external display, speakerphone functionality, PIM features, voice memos, and Java compatibility round out a solid mid-range feature set.

Despite its lack of high-speed data, the Sanyo Katana II is compatible with several of Sprint's add-on services. Top of the list is compatibility with Sprint Navigator for GPS navigation, with Sprint Family locator also making use of the built in GPS functionality. The Sprint Vision service gives access to web based email accounts, WAP sites, and games, ringtones, and screensavers for download.

Sprint is offering the Sanyo Katana II for US$99.99 with a two-year service agreement or outright for US$249.99. The handset is available in three colors: Pink Fascination, Cosmic Black, and Midnight Steel, which can all be seen above.