By After Verizon’s CTIA Press Conference announcing details of their 4G plan, including immediate coverage later this year of 110+ million Americans in 38+ cities and 55+ airports, the company held a secondary event for press/media only. In his Keynote, Lowell McAdam mentioned they would have 6 or so 4G devices on display. Of course what WE want to know is how many of them will have Android?
The answer? Likely a lot of them. McAdam subtly mentioned that Eric Schmidt would be joining him on stage at CES in January 2010, something that is not reflected on the CES Keynotes page. It’s probably not a secret that Android would lead Big Red’s 4G charge, but with a joint Keynote presentation at the world’s largest Consumer Electronics event… I’m incredibly excited to see what Droid Does Next, in 4G.
Although I couldn’t get in a question during the Q&A, I asked afterwards a question for which I’m extremely curious:
“How rapidly will Verizon’s portfolio adopt 4G devices – particularly in regards to Android? What percentage of new Android Phones will launch with 4G?”
I was met with a “it’s a bit too premature to discuss this,” suggesting that more details would be available at CES. I think it was a fair question for two main and huge reasons:
- If Verizon already knows how many Americans they’ll cover with 4G by the year 2013, and they know how many devices they’ll have on exhibit at CES, then they know a lot more about the product road map than they’re letting on. These phones take a long time to plan… but I guess you have to respect the PR machine (unless tipsters out there want to send us some anonymous love).
- While 4G is a great asset, it also has the opportunity to be divisive. Just as the current question for Android phones are, “yeah but does it have Froyo?” a secondary question could easily become, “yeah but does it have 4G?” if Verizon picks and chooses which Android devices they stuff with turbo juice. Also, in regards to their mention of 4G’s impact on gaming, we’d like to ask the question “yeah but can it run crysis?”
Several questions were also geared towards the iPhone, to which the answer seemed to indicate it will eventually come to Verizon, but Apple is waiting, and they’ll make the announcement when that happens. No, he didn’t say this exactly, but by his tone and body language that is what I personally gathered – but it is merely my own speculation.
But will the Verizon iPhone launch with LTE as speculated in early 2011? With Eric Schmidt on stage I’m doubting that will be the case. And with contractual obligations you never know what is going on behind the scenes. When and if a Verizon 4G iPhone launches, it will be interesting to see how it coexists with Android on the company’s lineup… both in terms of how they pitch it and how consumers perceive the differences.
The next 6 months in tech are going to be anything but sleepy. But hey- I guess that’s always the case. On with more CTIA!
PS: In the pic, his eyes are closed because he is distraught about getting asked another iPhone question ;)
Don’t you mean Eric will be joining him in Jan 2011?
What happen to that “Verizon EVO like phone” the one that was rumored to be HTC Merge but sadly found out not in these past couple of weeks. The htc merge is nice but its verizon verge of the g2 but with sense ui over it. The so called verizon evo look like has been swept under the rug. I hope we see something about it in next couple of months or even maybe today. The verizon evo look a like I would have say is loot of peeple been looking for.
The evo looking phone is the Droid Incredible, which has been out for awhile, thats old news, the Droid X is the fad…catch up.
Nope Evo still the king. Droid X still behind with no front camera, no 4g, no kickstand, and a locked boot loader.
DrewVerizon, Bunique is right. Lots of sites say there is supposed to have been a new Evo-ish phone coming from Verizon. If I didn’t believe the rumors, I’d have a Droid X in my hands right now. However, I am getting tired of waiting for confirmation on such a device…..
Evo is still the Flagship!!!
@DrewVerizon
The original phone shown to be the supposedly htc merge looked like a cross between HTC Evo and nexus one. Now htc merge was also called the Lexikon. Which one could speculate the evo look a like maybe the lexikon. What ever it is called the big deal about phone was possibility of dual core processor, 8mp camera duel led flash,and front facing camera. If these features can’t even get any better this was suppose either lte or 4g phone for verizon.
Since verizon is one of the only big time carriers with out 4g phone or something equivalent to 4g *cough g2 cough* I am hoping this will be one half of dozen verizon phones rumor to roll out before the and of the year. I hope these half of dozen phones are not low entry budget phones that are buzz right now. I would not be surprised since past six month the consumers have been flooded with just mid-to high end phones. It makes sense to throw out some nice low budget phones. Verizon I think is only going to have only one two big phones come out at end year and I am just hoping it that Evo like phone we saw month ago but have heard nothing about it. Which to me makes no sense as it boasted to be a game changer for android.
Why do these droids keep thinking Verizon will be getting an iPhone? Hello…this is Androids time to shine. The iPhone is over! Still popular, it’s done! The only carrier I think that the iPhone will benefit is Sprint!
I’ll tell you what I’m doing and that is nothing until that EVO-like Verizon comes out. I’m not buying crap until I know what’s going on with that.