Bang & Olufsen, who unveiled some interesting medical gadgets in September, announced today the official launch of its first phone for North America. The Serene is a Samsung-made phone meant to recall the design of classic rotary phones. It also demonstrates the principle of “less is more,” according to Bang & Olufsen: in contrast to the abundance of buttons on modern cell phones, the Serene has only a subtle directional pad to navigate its menus.

Even so, the compact handset incorporates more recent technology such as Bluetooth and a camera. An aluminum hybrid docking station comes with the phone as well. No official carriers or prices have been announced, though the company says it will sell the phone in its stores, giving buyers the option of buying an unlocked device instead of committing to a particular service. Continue for more images.

Bang & Olufsen, who unveiled some interesting medical gadgets in September, announced today the official launch of its first phone for North America. The Serene is a Samsung-made phone meant to recall the design of classic rotary phones. It also demonstrates the principle of “less is more,” according to Bang & Olufsen: in contrast to the abundance of buttons on modern cell phones, the Serene has only a subtle directional pad to navigate its menus.

Even so, the compact handset incorporates more recent technology such as Bluetooth and a camera. An aluminum hybrid docking station comes with the phone as well. No official carriers or prices have been announced, though the company says it will sell the phone in its stores, giving buyers the option of buying an unlocked device instead of committing to a particular service. Continue for more images.