By Alright this is starting to get out of hand… we’ve just now heard about the ANOTHER Verizon Android Phone that could launch in 2009 – the HTC Predator. The rumor was spilled by BGR and supposedly this phone could come as soon as October. You do realize folks…
This would make FOUR Verizon Android Phones:
We’re almost positive the Motorola Sholes is the real deal but very little has been leaked about the HTC models. Could they be renamed versions of existing HTC Android Phones? Could the names be overlapping? Or is Verizon REALLY going to launch 4 Android Phones before the year ends or even soon after?
Right now T-Mobile is the market leader when it comes to American Androids, offering 2 models (G1/MyTouch) and with a guaranteed 3rd on the way (CLIQ). For Verizon to launch 4 Android Phones by year end would be nothing short of astonishing. Exciting? Yes… but truth? Sounds far fetched.
And by the way, we thought competing handset manufacturers were sneaking up on HTC didn’t we? Only a couple short weeks ago EVERYBODY was talking about Motorola and the Sholes on Android. If HTC is really able to outnumber Motorola 3 to 1 on Big Red they’ll EASILY win the numbers game.
The main reason I have a glimmer of hope about all this is because we’re talking about HTC. The HTC that has more experience with Android than any other company in the world – besides Google of course. The HTC that has lined up a CDMA version of the HERO at Sprint which elminates or downplays the technology barrier.
If you’re a tipster sitting idle with information about any of the Verizon Android Phones… PLEASE hit us up. We respect your confidentiality and will gladly keep your tip 100% anonymous.
Exciting! And best supporting graphic ever!
Once I read that there were 12 states were you could not buy an iPhone because AT&T did not have a store. Unfortunately the same applies for Android too. I do not know how many states that T-Mobile doesn’t have coverage, but I live in one of them. Lucky North Dakota has no iPhones and no Android phones. Here Verizon and Sprint are the only real options and Sprint only covers half the state well (so not really an option as my job has me travelling often). I want an Android phone so bad I am practically drooling. I will be in line the day the Sholes goes on sale.
I love this site and check it every day impatiently waiting on new Verizon Android information. Keep up the great work!!!
I think this is a sign that you are long overdue to move…
I wouldn’t be surprised if HTC has three new Android phones ready to launch soon. The Hero was their last new Android powered phone and they launched that back in July. At that point they had launched 3 Android phones in 10 months. And remember, they were the first to do Android. If they keep up that pace, HTC should have at least one or two new Android phones on the market before the end of the year. I’m just not convinced that they will all be launching on Verizon’s network.
@TKE789: Well at least your options are limited. Those of us that have full coverage with all of the providers have too many options. I’m not sure what is worst.
I’ve been holding my breath for a slider keyboard Android phone on either AT&T or Verizon… I’ve turned 10 shades of blue.
I was so so so SO disappointed that Motorola announced CLIQ for T-Mobile. They get an “F” for launching on a crappy network that already has multiple Android phones.
Given the relatively late date, and that phones typically are announced months before they’re actually available… I’m seriously doubting now that Sholes (or any other Android phone) will be available on Verizon (or AT&T) this year at all. All the rumors and missed dates/announcements are turning me into a real cynic. I was following the HTC Lancaster rumors for AT&T for a while as well, so I feel burned multiple times over.
I’m almost to the point of throwing in the towel and getting an iPhone. My Blackberry is sucking wind, broken trackball, and I’m tired of waiting for these mythical phones to turn into reality.
Don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of other providers just that with the exception of Sprint and Verizon no one else has state wide coverage and Sprint’s is sketchy. I guess I am stuck paying way too much for Verizon service…I would just rather pay way too much with an kick ass Android phone. Hopefully Sholes gets announced at the Motodevo Conference and hopefully Android 2.0 gets finished soon and hopefully Verizon releases it this year…I want to buy a new phone now!!! =)
Here is a question for Phandroid. I would love to see iPhone vs. Android availibility. As soon as sprint and Verizon get an Android device pretty much the entire country will be covered. There are many areas that does not have coverage by iPhone because AT&T either does not have coverage o
Sorry, accidently hit the submit button before I was done:
Here is a question for Phandroid. I would love to see iPhone vs. Android geographic availability. As soon as sprint and Verizon get an Android device pretty much the entire country will be covered by Android. There are many areas that does not have coverage by iPhone because AT&T either does not have coverage or doesn’t have a store. I have read that AT&T will cancel you service if it discovers you actually live out of territory. Just curious how much ov this country will be Android only. — proud resident of an iPhone free state.
Desire, Passion, and Predator? Does anyone else think HTC is developing some kind of stalker/rape fetish?
it is indeed getting out of hand for me…
i cannot save $ fast enough to get ALL these Android phonez!!!
how many of those HTC’s will NOT have the 528? I might get the Hero come time for a new phone, but only because it’s android with a great looking UI. The hardware is still underwhelming. they need to launch a state-of-the-art flagship, already.
well, for this to EVEN make sense (i mean you have to ask yourself, why would VERIZON, control freak of all the carriers, want to spread its attention & ad resources thin on FOUR android phones), 2 of the THREE htc android phones are likely the same rose w/ different name, or 1 is actually a WinMo or something….
…..
Ok, lets pretend we’re Verizon. Why would we want to launch FOUR phones at roughly the same time w/ the same OS (lets suspend our Android devotion for just a sec)? Here are my reasons: 1:Full Qwerty Slider(Sholes), 2:Better-than-Hero-style-Touch-Screen (HTC HD2-ish), 3:Low End (HTC Tatoo-ish) 4:Candybar Qwerty (HTC-Snap-ish). Sound plausible to you guys? I think it might be a very surprising move on VZW’s part….
….
Nothing would make me happier this holiday season than having my pick of the litter of Verizon Android phones. Hell, throw in a decent UI (Sense! I don’t know about Blur), a decent processor (anything above above 628MHz) and a display at least 3.6″ big and I vow to pay the early termination fee and zombie shuffle on over to the big red (I’m on Sprint, not AT&T :P)….
….
HOWEVER, I’ll believe this rumor when I see it. I hope Rob gets a chance to chime in. Kudos for posting BGR story on your site Mr. Jackson! Thanks!
If this is real, I will purchase, exclusively and only based on the name.
I would love to have a phone called the Predator, that would, as they say, frigging awesome.
Assuming its any good as a phone, anyways
@Adrian, Agreed! Saying that I own an HTC Predator would be really dope! Lets just hope it lives up to the name. While I dont really believe in using “Killer” to describe smartphone competitors, it would be a very happy coincidence if THIS were the phone to give Apple a run for its money.
@RandyB,
I’ve been waiting for a non-slider android since the G1 had announced & still waiting (tho now im open to full keyboard). I think its worth the wait. iPhones still don’t multitask (aka, u cant even play music & run another app at the same time!!!). And if you live in an area where you have poor ATT service, thats a double wammy you’ll be kicking yourself for.
I believe the Sholes is very near launch. All signs seem to be pointing that way. Wait at least until Oct 6th, Motorola’s next event. And if you despair, ask Mr. Rob Jackson what he thinks.
@BKroid: I Agree. If another 528MHz Android phone is announced, I’m going to walk into the given carrier store and barf on their model. 528MHz is prehistoric. The market leaders are running “lighting fast” 600MHz phones. Hell, if a 1GHz Android is announced anywhere near Q1, i MAY have to discipline myself to wait another 6 months for the american launch of that phone.
I have the G1 and I am not replacing it with another 528Mhz unit with the same 3.2 in. screen. I want a faster processor, bigger screen, more onboard memory. I am willing to pay more for such a device, but apparently no one wants t0 build it and sell it to me.
@eh steve: HAHAHAHAHAH
@StephenSaurusRex & @BKroid
It does seem maddening that when there are faster processors that it would make sense to use em.. but I don’t want faster if it means a real crappy battery life. I really can’t say right now, that I say “this thing is too slow” or “It’s laggy”.. I hear others say things like that, but I just haven’t experienced it myself.. But I do know how the world works, and developers will make Apps that will want more processor speed and as time goes by my “prehistoric” 528MHZ will probably then bug me.. but for now, I really don’t see a problem.. It would be a problem in my opinion, to have a phone that had a 1Ghz that wouldn’t make it through the day in normal use.. If they cant keep the battery life and increase the speed, or come up with a livable compromise then great.. I’m sure the engineers designing them are all over it.
What About Canada ?
Any News of new android comming over here?
when are we going to get our hero?
dont forget about us canadian readers .
@Dennis: yeah, i totally get you. battery life may be an issue, however, i found this on Qualcomm’s site: “…a 1.3 GHz processor for 30 percent higher performance as well as enhanced multimedia and 2D/3D graphics. Utilizing 45nm technology also allows power consumption improvements such as up to 30 percent lower dynamic power than previous-generation Snapdragon products and an unmatched standby power of less than 10 millwatts.”
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http://www.qualcomm.com/news/releases/2009/090601_Snapdragon_QSD8650A.html .
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i know this doesnt mean that its lower powered than a 528MHz phone, but it indicates that the upgrade doesnt necessarily break the phone & its battery. The following is a review/comment about Toshiba’s TG01 which has runs on a 1GHz snap dragon:
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“As usual we set the device to play music contimuously from a full battery charge for as long as possible, which it managed just 4.5 hours. Smartphones generally achieve somewhere between 6.5 and 8.5 hours in this test, and the TG01’s poor battery life must in part be due to the fact that we force the screen to stay on. Running a 4.1in. screen for several hours is just too much to ask of the 1000mAh Li-ion battery Toshiba has chosen.”
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So a few things here… 1: not sure they forced other screens to stay on, 2: this phone’s screen is 4.1″ (massive!), 3: OLED (which this phone doesnt have, i dont think) are low powered & brighter displays (an option the galaxy uses), 4: its battery is dated, 1500 is standard these days.
…
so, theoretically, there is no reason (cept cost) they shouldnt want to push the envelope forward. cost may be an issue, but i believe that if you build a monster phone, the launch carriers will hail it to be the 2nd coming, just like they did w/ the pre
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PS: I got the review of the Toshiba TG01 from
http://www.zdnetasia.com/reviews/hardware/handhelds/0,3800010313,44920104p,00.htm
Man, I just realized that BGR appears to be the source/promoters of a lot Android based rumrors lately, including Sony’s X3 January Launch Date, as well as the 3 HTC Android phones that are supposed to invade Verizon. Anyone have any sense of BGR’s rumor track record? Do most of them pan out?
Dumb question here…Don’t we need 1 Android phone on VZW before we can have a third? I am starting to doubt G will relax their standards enough to allow VZW to cripple all the features to sell back to their victims…er… customers. I’m looking at a Nokia 810 for my portable net toy(read: no extortionate data plan contract) and still have a spare, unlocked E815 for phone calls.
just give me something with good battery life that’s less than 13mm thick…and I’ll be happy.
@StephenSaurusRex
You wrote: “iPhones still don’t multitask (aka, u cant even play music & run another app at the same time!!!).”
I think that’s a perfect example of why I commented elsewhere that if you start with the Hero as the standard, it’s clear that the iPhone doesn’t measure up and isn’t a “Hero killer”. It’s all in what you want/need, and if the iPhone doesn’t provide that, it is the inferior device.
Don’t get me wrong. I really do think the iPhone is a great device. I’ve looked seriously at it and considered purchasing one. But at this point as I look at the Hero (and other announced/rumored Android devices), compared to the iPhone, the Hero definitely wins.
I just heard about Android Phones a few minutes ago. I’m not very technical so I don’t know of their capabilities or if you have to have a data pkg with them. Does anyone know.
Does anyone know of a cell phone that DOES NOT REQUIRE A DATA PACKAGE that has MS Word and Excel on it?
Yes. Verizon’s version of HTC Touch..has win mobile. I have it, just got it a few months ago because it was free for period of time on their website. In fact you can get any smartphone from verizon and no data package is required. Don’t know why people think all carriers do that, not all do.
While no data package is required, you will be charged at a high rate if you use the network. Just change the number it tries to call for a connection from 777 to 888.
From Verizon’s site:
Important: On select smartphone devices, if you do not subscribe to a Data Plan or Data Feature, data usage will be billed at 1.5¢ per KB ($15.36 per MB), unless you add a data block or subscribe to a Wireless Email Feature. Other smartphone devices and all BlackBerry® devices require a Data Plan or a Data Feature.
It is def. not a rumor. Played with 2 Andriod phones today. HTC and Motorolla. AWESOME phones. comming soon!!!