ashton underexploited: Samsung Focus 2 for AT&T hands-on at CTIA 2012 (update: video)

It's the first night of action at CTIA Wireless 2012, and we're not wasting any time finding the best of what New Orleans has to offer. To start things off properly, we got some time with the Samsung Focus 2, announced by AT&T earlier this morning as the latest addition to the network's healthy Windows Phone lineup. Of course, the phone's no stranger to being in front of the cameras -- this is just the first time it's occurred without any shroud of secrecy surrounding it. So what kind of specs come with the Focus 2? The $50 handset, due out on May 20th, offers a 4-inch Super AMOLED WVGA display, a 1.4GHz CPU with unspecified RAM, 5MP rear-facing camera capable of recording 720p HD video, a VGA cam on the front and LTE connectivity.

The Focus 2, without a doubt, feels completely tiny in our hands when compared to Nokia and HTC's latest Windows Phone entries. And at 4.3 ounces, it's incredibly light as well -- sadly, the device's 11.98mm thickness was a slight disappointment for us. Aside from the inclusion of LTE and a 1,750mAh user-removable battery, we're not quite sure the reasoning behind it. With that said, anything with a display smaller than 4.3 inches these days seems immensely easy to grip, regardless. When handling the phone, we couldn't help but think of the similarly-designed Galaxy Blaze 4G, as the two devices appear to have come from the same mold.

Overall, this isn't a device meant for power users, and it faces some heavy competition against the Nokia Lumia 900 in price point (though the Focus 2 is slightly less expensive than the Lumia's normal subsidized cost). But for anyone who enjoys a Windows Phone with a smaller display and was disappointed in the lack of LTE connectivity on the Focus Flash, this will be the ideal handset for you. If your curiosity is getting the best of you, go below to see the full gallery.

Update: Hit the break for our hands-on video.

Gallery: Samsung Focus 2 hands-on