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In some parallel universe the HTC Thunderbolt must already be released. We have seen displays in Best Buy and Verizon, and once again a weekly advertising flyer features the phone as if on sale. The price listed is $299.99 on two-year contract, though pricing featured on the latest version of the in-store display at Best Buy suggests the Thunderbolt will sell for $249.99. Just add that to the confusion surrounding when the phone will actually be released; there is nothing certain about the HTC Thunderbolt until we see an official Verizon announcement.
[via DroidLife]
![DroidLife](<img class="thumbnail" src="http://phandroid.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/nexus_one_logo-150x150.png" alt="" style="margin-top: 3px">){kind=link}
Is it just me or is there a whole lot wrong with these prices? Oh and Where the Fuck is T-Mobile in this particular competition already!?!?
you’re not a real pimp if you have tmobile.
next week…i can feel it
…..parallel universe! That’s great, cause its TRUE!
I can’t believe it…. The htc evo 2 will be announced on March 22nd before the Htc Thunderbolt gets a release date… This thunderbolt truly is OLD NEW NOW… Great way to go Verizon.. This device should’ve been released on another carrier
How is it possibly legal for them to keep advertising this as if it’s in stock and with two different prices? This is beyond ridiculous I wish they’d stop advertising it until they actually have it.
@pimpStrong I’m right there with you on the TMO thing bro……its like they don’t even care about about the smartphone race anymore
I’m ok with paying $300 for the phone….I just don’t want to pay more than $30 per month for LTE. If the LTE data plans get up to $40-$50, I might have to look at other options. I just can’t justify paying $50 for home internet (cable) and $50 for 4g LTE. And since Verizon is going to set caps, I can’t just cancel cable and tether through my phone.
$300??? seriously??? that’s gonna drop fast…
t mobile has both nexus phones and the mytouch4g which is spec wise close to the thunderbolt and the evo. they also have the g2 which is kind of old news but amazing if you overclock it. im just hoping for that dual core pyramid or a galaxy s 2 soon :)
Too bad T Mobile sucks a Long C. They honestly need to announce a release date before they start turning away customers, not to mention if they keep delaying it its going to be outdated in a few weeks.
The Inspire and Thunderbolt are about 98% identical, yet the price difference is so huge.
Verizon must be cashing in so much, no wonder the 3G Xoom costs so much.
@ dj – why u gotta put me on blast man!? Lol
I just got my Seido case for the Thunderbolt in the mail today from Amazon…..Now i just need the GD phone!
VAPORWARE
T-Mobile has horrible coverage and the worst selection in phones. Having an affordable plan is no longer worth it; I’ll pay $20 more each month to have good, reliable coverage and a fast data connection. (BTW, mytouch4g is for teenage girls)
There is definitely something wrong. I don’t know if it’s with the TBolt, how it works on the LTE network, or if Verizon is holding things up so they can put as much of their crapware on the thing as possible before release (which will be immediately removed after rooting anyway), but this is ridiculous. I have NEVER heard of a major device have so many delays with no explanation. Even the Incredible technically launched when it was supposed to, although some people waited a long time to get one to due to screen shortages. I’m not buying one of these things for at least a week of them being on the market.
PS-When I said “major device” I meant things like the Droid, D2/X, EVO, Galaxy, etc… no one ever waited anxiously for a Motorola Citrus, or a Flipout.
Why is this phone overpriced by $100, and why does nobody seem to care?
Tmobiles coverage varies on where you are at. At my house my vibrant barely gets 1mb/sec on the down but at my friends house I freaked when it clock in at 6mb/sec. Can’t wait to see what a mytounch 4g or vibrant 4g clocks in at his house.
@DJ, I agree. Something is wrong. Verizon has not really addressed the issue. All they said is that they want to make sure it is flawless. That makes me think it’s something they are trying to sweep under the rug without really saying what it is.
I was told by a Verizon Regional Manager, that an announcement would be made today, but it’s getting pretty late and still no word from Verizon. Makes me wonder if there is more problems or another delay.
I can see $250 with a $100 rebate. As soon as the Bionic comes out the price will drop massively.
Has the pricing for the Bionic or the Stealth V been set?
verizon is just trying to get rid of all their stock of old androids and trying to sell a few more iphones off their gigantic heap before the 3g phone market is history.
The 32 GB iPhone 4 is $300. The Tbolt will have 8 GB and come with a 32 GB card. I kind of get it, but I may wait for the Bionic if Tbolt is $300.
If you read phandroid daily like I do, then you should recall the Jan 28th read about Verizon doing away with rebates on all phones over $150, that is the reason for the high price of the phone.
http://phandroid.com/2011/01/28/verizon-getting-rid-of-rebates-for-devices-more-than-150/
There was also another read about Verizon doing away with its new every 2 promotion as well as yearly upgrades.
Verizon has learned it can make a profit from the sale of its phones because people will want newer phones and pay the premium for them.
Nothing is flawless when released. You have to be realistic. I had the Droid X. I love the device, Screen size, Camera…but it was a POS. it kept freezing on me and Veizon told me not their issue, take it up with Motorola if I wanted help. I told the Rep that I didnt even have time to call sorry as Verizon so there was no way I was going to take it up with MOTO. I bought it thru Verizon. They should care but they are big so they dont.. DROPPED VZW to $70 plan from $200 a month plan with 3 lines.
Check this out
http://androidcommunity.com/htc-thunderbolt-already-in-stores-just-not-for-sale-yet-inside-source-20110304/
I doubt it’s actually in stores right now, but the conversation listed in this article sounds a lot like what the Regional Manager for Verizon told me.
@Scott….. I care and I agree!
March 10th…. I am feelin it. The other dates, I did not….March 10th… feelin it. No extra for LTE. Better be 250…..feelin it…. feelin it..
@JoshL lmao i’m trying to figure out how a mytouch is for girls?
that is way sexist(but unsurprising). Lol i really wish they would go ahead and announce this device so people will stop throwing fits over the supposed price, the release date and all the other things they complain about. But more so, Verizon needs to announce the Xperia play :)
Coverage varies depending on where you are but the least a carrier can do is to offer a good selection of phones.
Assuming that MT4G is a decent phone when it comes to specs, when you feel the phone in your hand, it feels like a plastic toy designed for high school girls.
I’m very happy with TMO service and honestly don’t care if I can get 1 or 2 MB more per sec with another service provider but I do miss having a powerful phone with a more mature design.
Why is it verizon has great service but crap for phones? Anyone think verizon might be trying to push the profits from the thunderbolt to the second quarter?
It’s very simple, you all get together and tell Verizon to go fuck itself. Don’t buy the phone and when they see that no one cares, they’ll lower the price..
Just a quick FYI the next date that was rumored for the phone is March 10th. So if that passes then I do not know when it will launch??
Pulte, as a former employee keep this in mind VZW is more reliant on keeping its customer locked in on a data plan with little or no way out. The device is ready its their pride and joy that’s not ready (LTE). VZW has always been late to getting their products to market and as consumers none of their customers don’t demand anything from them. They’re all waiting to be fed whatever VZW is willing to feed them. Since their network is their product this is why you hear it being the phone that needs perfecting. If they haven’t figured out how to perfect an Android yet then they have real issues. Two things to remember lock the customer in and redirect people to the device and away from their LTE network.
Pulte sounds like a disgruntled employee.. probably with a shitty performance review who got canned after being a lazy fuck. Move along pulte.
i went to best buy and asked to purchase Verizon thunderbolt the sales lady actually went to the shelves looked and then went and looked at another spot and came back to tell me the phone was sold out. I clarified my self and asked are you sure you even had them? she admitted to me that they did.and that she believes they sold out a few hours ago..Either she was insanely out of loop and had no idea what phone i was talking bout but apparently she did because she pulled the s.k.u number from the shelve were the phone had been advertised and scanned it..so really i have no idea now that i think about it could only a few areas have gotten the phone already i have no idea but apparently mission valley best buy seems to maybe have had them ?!?!?!?!?!?