Monday, August 9, 2010

Verizon rumors: LTE, Android 3.0 tablets, a Droid Pro, and more



BGR's lined up a handful of very believable rumors for Big Red today -- and if you're an Android fan, you're going to want to pay very close attention (heck, even if you're not, you should probably take a look). First up, Motorola's said to have a full-touch Android 2.2 handset in the works with global roaming capability on GSM and presumably HSPA -- a first in the CDMA Android world -- that apparently looks a bit like a Motorola Q (without the keyboard, of course). Interestingly, we've recently been clued into a global roaming Moto from a trusted tipster of ours with the codename "Venus" that's slated to enter internal testing on the 27th of this month, so that lines up pretty nicely with this rumor -- but Venus could also be another global Android smartphone allegedly in the pipeline from Motorola, the Droid Pro. As its name suggests, BGR says the Droid Pro will be a monster, featuring a 1.3GHz core (faster than the 1GHz Droid X and Droid 2) and a 4-inch screen with a target street date in November -- just in time for the holidays. There are also apparently global Android handsets in store from Samsung and HTC; additionally, our tipster tells us that there will be a Motorola "Ciena" sans global roaming, a phone could possibly be that WX445 we saw not long ago. It's entering carrier acceptance testing on the 17th.

Turning our attention to tablets, Samsung is said to be prepping a 7-inch device with a front-facing camera (something we're expecting to see on pretty much all high-end smartphones and tablets going forward). Motorola, meanwhile, is apparently working on a 10-inch model -- something we've heard before -- that will feature a processor of 1GHz or better paired with Android 3.0 Gingerbread. What's notable here is that BGR's source is saying that the inclusion of Android 3.0 could push the Moto launch out to February 2011, but inside sources of our own are reporting that tablet devices running Gingerbread are still figuring into Verizon's Q4 2010 plans, so we'll have to wait and see how that shakes out.

Moving on, Novatel -- creator of the original MiFi -- could be on the hook for a new LTE mobile hotspot (hopefully a CDMA hybrid, though we don't know) that will support as many as ten simultaneous users for launch in January or February of next year; the relatively close time frame might explain the alleged (but unconfirmed) cancellation of the Fivespot that we've been hearing about lately. Speaking of LTE, word has it that USB stick usage will be priced at $59.99 a month -- data cap unknown -- and that Big Red is presently targeting 75 percent "of the country" covered by April 2012, though we don't know if that's geographical or population coverage.

Quite a bit to take in, isn't it?








Exclusive: Verizon Wireless 2010/2011 roadmap!

One of our Verizon Wireless sources has dropped a whole bunch of info in our laps. We’re talking intimate details of Verizon Wireless’ plans for the rest of 2010, 2011 and even some 2012 plans. Android tablets, LTE MiFi units, Android 3.0, video conferencing, and a whole lot more. Read on for the full details!
  • In addition to the Motorola DROID and Motorola DROID X, we’re told Motorola will launch a new DROID handset, the Motorola DROID Pro. It is supposed to have a 1.3GHz CPU, 4″ screen and global roaming capabilities. Estimated launch of November 2010
  • Motorola is working with Verizon on a “slab form-factor” device that sort of looks like an old Motorola Q but features a full touchscreen and global roaming. It will run Android 2.2. Maybe this will be a lower cost, MOTOBLUR handset?
  • There are a lot more Android invasions happening before the end of the year, we’re told. This includes a global Android device from both Samsung and HTC.
  • Samsung is working on a 7″ screen Android tablet with front-facing camera. Motorola is also working on a tablet as well, except it will sport a 10″ screen, either 1GHz or 1.3GHz CPU, front-facing camera, and Android 3.0. Don’t expect the Motorola so soon though, as we’re informed that while the launch was supposed to happen in December, Android 3.0 will probably hold up the release of that device and we should expect it around February 2011.
  • Verizon Wireless is aiming and on track to have at least 75% of the country covered in LTE coverage by April 2012
  • There will be a Novatel LTE MiFi device available in January or February that will apparently support up to 10 simultaneous Wi-Fi users.
  • Lastly, we’re told LTE data pricing will stick at $59.99/month, though it’s unclear what the data allowance will be. (This is for data cards, not smartphones)
Regardless of whether an iPhone comes to Verizon Wireless anytime soon, it’s obviously clear they aren’t slowing down with their huge Android push. With LTE coming up, and a major stable of high-performance smartphones, it seems like Verizon has positioned themselves to win. We’ll see how the end of the year and 2011 shape up before making any concrete judgements, though. Did we get anyone excited?
   

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