By Rumors are circulating that Sprint is internally testing the HTC Hero and we just want to remind everyone: these rumors aren’t new. Two months ago we published an article suggesting the HTC Hero would have an October 11th launch day for Sprint. The new rumors merely reinforce the Sprint/Hero connection and end of year release date.
The only information provided by HTC thus far is that the United States WILL get the HTC Hero by the end of 2009 but date and carrier are both unknowns. All Android handsets launched to date have been based on GSM technology and I would imagine that cramming CDMA guts into the exact same device has different challenges, which would be valid reason for an American delay not to mention T-Mobile and Orange are both familiar with Android already and this is the first time it would pass through Sprint’s testing procedures.
When that initial October 11th rumor dropped via XDA Devs it came with this bit of teaser info:
The carrier is giving us specifications to develop wallpaper, ring tones and apps to sell in their market place.
HTC Hero has HTC Sense… remember? HTC Sense is not a Google Experience phone… it has an extremely customized UI and features/functionality built-in. While the above quote may have seemed awkward for Android, it is much more feasible and realistic in the scope of Sprint asking HTC to further customize Sense.
So there you have it – HTC Hero on Sprint rumors aired and the history dug up. Whether or not they’ll pan out is a different story.
I want it to come out for T-Mobile USA badly and if it doesn’t then I might just cancel my T-Mobile account and switch to Sprint. I have a G1 but it is falling apart and I don’t feel that it is worth buying the myTouch 3g because it is the same thing just looks different….. I want a hero.
Well, if you notice the specs, the HTC hero has the same hardware as the G1, with just a big more memory. The only real difference is the new UI. It’s the same phone wrapped up in three different form factors. Take your pick.
@Henry…its not coming to t-mobile….Sprint is already testing it for a december release date….sorry to say….besides sprints dadt network….let alone 3G network is 10 times the size of t-mobile’s plus sprints plans are as affodable as t-mobile….no brainer really
Memory makes a big impact on performance. I presume their home screen is memory hog.
If this doesnt come out on T-Mobile. I will be sooooooooooooooooo pissed. you have no idea.
I hate to say it, but T-Mobile has no business selling smart phones. They need a whole lot better network coverage to lure me back. I live only an hours drive from NewYork City on Long Island in a highly populate area and my G1 was still useless. PLEASE put Hero on a worthy carrier like Sprint. They are the best candidate and have very affordable data/voice plans and don’t nickel and dime you for text messaging like penny pinching AT&T or lock down phones beyond recognition and use like Verizon. So I say Please Please Please release this phone on Sprint.. and then maybe finally I can get rid of this iPhone that I have despite my somewhat irrational dislike of Apple. Unfortunately the iPhone is still the best browser and typing experience to date. Oh, and will someone please make an Android phone with a larger display and a faster processor? Well, a guy can wish right?
I have had sprint for 3 years now. I don’t know anyone that has T-mobile, and is satisfied with it. AT&T and Verizons individual plans and family plans are too costly. Sprint has the best priced plans that give you a lot. I would go crazy the day Sprint releases the Hero!
how can you even say that t-mobile is weak and there network sucks. everyone i know has tmobile or is leaving trashy sprint and at&t for t-mobile and if you didnt know look at tmonews everyphone that was Presented from htc to tmobile was the touch pro 2″the wing”, the htc dream “the G1″the sapphire “the magic”, the snap ” the dash 3g” and last but not least the hero “no usa name yet” where all phones that where persented to come to tmobile and any htc phone for your htc history for sales once the UK gets a phone it takes 6 months before its released in the US plese gets our htc history fast together ppl oh and lets lets get out of htc for a min the moto android is tmobile, the samsung big foot Tmobile. also for your tmobile history tmobile and htc has been partners for over 7 yrs. tmobile has more htc phones that anyother usa carrier. the only reason att and sprint got the touch pro and diamond is because at the time t-moblie did not have 3g or was working on it. i hate to say this not because im a 13yrs tmobile user the htc hero will be a tmobile phone oh i also for got the hero is a world phone how can you be a world phone without a simcard slot. Facts people facts. t-mobile users dont fare youll get your hero but you have to wait the uk to usa time of 6 to 7 months
I too have been with T-mobile for over 10 years and they’ve been good, especially their customer service. That’s why I stay. Also, I’m just glad to see some buzz about something other than the freakin’ iphone for a change. I don’t hate the iphone but even though it’s an industry benchmark for what a new phone should be (at least feature-wise) it’s kinda become the “Big Mac” of phones and we can only eat so many freakin’ big macs! Kudos to T-mo for mixin’ it up a bit!
The HTC Hero just passed through the FCC with all the AT&T bands on it. Also, T-Mobile just released a statement saying it “has no plans to bring the HTC Hero to market.” AT&T is looking to make the Hero exclusive for their network.
I was with T-Mobile and their service sucks so bad, that I had to stand in a corner, on a couch in my apt, just to get some reception. Ive been Sprint for two or three years and I never get dropped calls. This sht better come to Sprint, because if it doesnt I am gonna have to go to ATT because they have all the good smart phones. Sprints phones blow and they better get it.
T-mobile has been nothing but great for me. I live in chicago and my g1 is faster than the Iphone as far as 3g connectivity, oh and the hardware specs are pretty equivalent to the mytouch there is no real advantage 512 to 512 rom and 288 to 288 ram. yes the mytouch is 198 with Tmo branding but just wait till this thing looses some ram upon release.
I don’t think that AT&T will pick this up. It would be the biggest iPhone competitor on their network. I don’t think Apple would allow it.
Dont you thing that would be a smart thing for AT&T to do? Pick up the biggest competitor of the iphone, so that it doesnt go to another company. They will benefit from picking the phone up big time. I think it would be smart for them to pick it up, because then they will have two of the most wanted phones on their network
Well being a sprint costumer myself and a huge HTC fan owning both the pro and touch. Just from watching sprint over the last year you cant say that Hesse isnt the best thing to happen to Sprint the man is on a mission and he isnt going to pass up on the Hero. Another lil tidbit is that AT&T’s lock on the Iphone is ending soon thats bound to play a factor into things once other carriers pick up the IPhone theres already news of cdma version in the works. And as for the people that say there arent working CDMA version of Android thats bunk check out google code android vogue port. I have been running Android on my HTC Touch aka Vogue for awhile now and its fully functional, I have even messed around with running the actuall Sense UI on this phone but that is still a new build and quite a few things to get worked out. Which brings up another point why would there be actual google development teams working on CDMA Android if it wasnt coming to the major CDMA carriers in the US so dont be surprised if it hits Sprint first becasue they have been in tight with HTC alot recently with the Snap being release and Pro2 coming by the end of 2009 and with Hesse saying that there will be a android phone on sprint why wouldnt it be from HTC.
I only have one thing to say to tmobile haters..tmobile is thr only company to have won 8 out of 9 years for best customer service by jdpower also consumer report last year, tmobile is #2 in call quality. Obviously everyone is going to have a diff experience. Give me a carrier and I’ll give u a city where they dnt work at. Check out billshrink.com a third party website that right fits you with a carrier based on where u live, how u travel to work, the type of plan u need and did u know that 80% of the time they will choose tmobile?! Don’t talk trash unless u really know the facts and don’t base it on ur own personal bias ppl.
And yes tmobile will get the htc hero because tmobile is the largest carrier in europe. Tmobile usa is a subsidiary. Understand this gsm will always rule the international world. I’m not saying I don’t like sprint cuz I do but tmobile is never going away. Sprint on the other hand is in a lot of debt. We shall see noobs!
@Bryan
Current t-Mobile customers received notification of the Hero’s arrival and an opporunity to be placed on the wait list just this past weekend.
I have had verizon for a while and i loved it. i just ordered the htc hero from sprint and cant wait to try it out. but i know for a fact tmobile service is horrible because 6 people that i know who have it HATE it