Sprint to be first in U.S. with Samsung Galaxy S II, called the Samsung Epic Touch 4G

Information received by SprintFeed suggests that the Samsung Galaxy S II, the most awaited non-Apple smartphone in the U.S. for some time, will launch first on Sprint. Previous rumors had the phone making its debut on Verizon. At Sprint, the sizzling hot handset will be known as the Samsung Epic Touch 4G. The Samsung Epic 4G was the carrier's second 4G enabled handset and the first 4G model to offer a side sliding QWERTY keyboard. With "Touch" as the part of the new phone's moniker that differentiates it from the prior model, there will be no physical QWERTY on the Epic Touch 4G.

The information also mentioned to expect the phone to launch on September 9th. While that is a Friday, and Sprint usually launches phones on Sunday, that would have meant a launch on the 10 year anniversary of the 9/11 terror attack which would certainly explain the Friday release. As far as T-Mobile is concerned, as we reported, leaked information is pointing to an October 26th launch of its Samsung Galaxy S II variant named the Samsung Hercules.

Unless other information is received that changes things, it looks like Sprint customers will have first crack at the smartphone that has been on everyone's mind now for months. Those with Sprint accounts better start collecting loose change now because September 9th will be upon us before you know it.