A fair question, MR. Here's how it works:

By letter, the Applicant (Grantee) requests "Confidentiality" as to specific filing components (e.g., external photos, user manual, test rig, etc.); the designated items are then suppressed from public access, often for a period of 180 days (which can extend beyond the actual release date). Here are examples from Sony Ericsson's filing for its W888c:

http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/fo...ive_or_pdf=pdf

http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/fo...ive_or_pdf=pdf

But as we know, an FCC Confidentiality Request Letter is essentially a brief episode of comedy in the converged, digital world. Thus,

W880i---> 3G
W888c---> GPRS
W880i and W888c added to the family on 2006-12-21

http://publish.it168.com/2006/1222/images/245191.jpg

A Confidentiality Request does not, however, mean the Authorization (Type Acceptance) submission won't show up. The filing itself is public record, but its components will be limited to what's unprotected, to wit:

(SE W888c listing)
http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/cf...7A1022071'

So, to summarize, we'll certainly know when Samsung's SCH-i760 hits the FCC. Aside from a run-in with VZW's "Lou" (always a risk, lol), a public listing tells us that release is possible within say, two months and very likely within three.

What's more, our collective access to prodigious sources of intelligence is certain to uncover useful market-release information once we know the device has been Authorized and put into production.

Incidentally, while the FCC search engine can always be consulted, a quick-and-dirty reference page for weekly additions to the FCC device database is this one maintained by Engadget, called "FCC Fridays":

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/01/26/fcc-fridays/

--BAM