By 
What happened, Verizon and Motorola? Your Honeycomb device was poised to regulate the tablet world, and then you drop the ball like this? Say it isn’t so and the information has been misinterpreted.
DROID Life is reporting that while “XOOM” is the unofficially official name for the world’s first Honeycomb tablet, it will not have an LTE ready radio installed rather it will stick to WiFi and 3G. Even though we are all hoping for a WiFi only model, this really is a news bomb that comes from left field as Verizon’s 4G LTE network is ready to take off and we are all but confirmed to see the 4G enabled HTC Thunderbolt at CES.
[via DROID Life]
maybe they know no one wants to pay for lte
I still don’t get why people want separate data plans for their stupid tablets. Its called tethering people.
What a waste…
How is this ‘dropping the ball’? Like the first commenter stated, 99.9% of people out there do not want 4G which has more expensive contracts. We want them for less. I don’t see ‘4G’ becoming the standard until they drop the prices; which could be a long long time.
@alex, there has yet to be a cost increase for verizons 4g over 3g.
As long as I get my WiFi only version, I’m ok. More options would have been better though, and any selling point over the iPad will help get the people who haven’t heard much of android on board.
This is not upsetting to me at all! I can’t wait to get a Motorola Honeycomb Tablet wifi model. I will leave LTE for an upcoming phone upgrade.
@scott, I want to pay for LTE.
@Will Sours, because the people I would want to get a tablet for would not have a phone capable of tethering.
@AlexNC they haven’t announced 4G device pricing yet, and device pricing has historically been cheaper than PC data plan pricing. So who knows how bad it will be. But you’re right, the cost MIGHT be prohibitive. I still have hope.
But all that aside, I’ve been having this horrible suspicion that even though Verizon is showing off all of these LTE devices at CES, that the actual release of any LTE devices (other than for PCs) isn’t going happen for a while. What if Verizon’s deal with Apple is for the iPhone 5 to be the first phone released with LTE? Verizon and Apple were rumored to be fighting over details of their contract, and I could see that easily being a reason. Peter Chou’s comment that they wouldn’t release an LTE phone until the 2nd half of 2011 is also troublesome. And now that tablet that is supposed to be release with Honeycomb in Q1-early Q2 doesn’t have LTE? Sounds suspicious. I hope I am wrong… Bring on the Thunderbolt in Q1!
wifi only my phone does 4g i can teather for free sprint is unlimited Verizon 4g is a rip off 8gb for 80 a month what a joke that’s with the card don’t know about phone prices yet
why does everyone say LTE data plans are going to be higher? Look at the current LTE devices and their data plans. Now look at the 3g devices and their data plans. OH MY!? they are the same. Verizon isn’t sprint. They have set a precedent within their own organization, atleast with mobile broadband devices, that the data plans will remain at the same price.
anything but unlimited data plan is stupid. Nobody should worry about going over because they accidently left pandora streaming. Tiered data plans will fail and eventually go away. Furthermore no plan should cost more than 50 a month. Clearwire/Sprint is selling unlimited 4g plans for 45 a month, not sure why anybody would go with any other option other than if they just dont have other options. Lucky Denver just got lit up with 4g WIMAX :)
Scott is right. How bout we see a Poll: Who wants a carrier Tablet 3G/4G OR would you rather tether from your phone or home WiFi.
personally I would go wifi only so I can tether it to my 4g phone and do it that way. but I’m cheap when it comes to paying for data.
@slayerpsp the verizon plan is $80 for 10GB. check your facts. tiered data is not the best of ideas from a consumers point of view. The cell companies would be smart to try and offer an affordable unlimited plan to draw customers away from their traditional cable internet.
yeah…4G LTE costs EXACTLY the same as 3G…
I agree, Wifi only, tether to my 4G phone if I need 4G, otherwise I am happy with 3G data (I’m on Sprint unlimited, so I can choose either 3G or 4G at the same price).
$50/month for 5GB of data, with an $80/month plan for 10GB
Nlsme is right. verizon just switched to tiered data plans, but so far they are the same for 3g & 4g.
they are probably sticking with 3g for now because 4g is only available in 38 cities and 60 airports right now. they don’t expect nationwide coverage until 2013.
http://network4g.verizonwireless.com/#/coverage
Unless I am mistaken …
3G = $30/month unlimited
LTE = $50/month for 5GB, $80/month plan for 10GB
That is alright, I will buy the wifi only tablet along with the Droid Thunderbolt, root it and have free wifi tethering!
2011 will be a beautiful year :D
You are thinking of a phone bundle. verizon doesn’t have 4g phones. I was only refering to the mobile broadband devices having tiered data. verizon hasn’t released their pricing on 4g data plans for smartphones yet. just on mobile broadband usb modems because that is all that is available right now.
there is only two sure thing in life, one is that we all going to die at some point and the other one is there will be a price increase for lte, after all is Verizon we talking about here.
@alexNC
3g $30/unl data is for smartphones…
$50/5gb and $80/10gb is for USB modems ONLY.
we have yet to announce 4g smartphone data plans.
@ post 16 – AlexNC… $50 for 5 gigs and 80 for 10 gigs is the exact same price as 3G… I don’t see what’s so difficult to understand about that.
@Alex – 3G data card plans are identical to 4G data card plans. You’re comparing data card plans – which are, and always have been, separate plans – to a cell phone data plan? Wow…. just wow.
@zerocool, you are right my friend Verizon is not sprint! Verizon is worst,so wait for a lte phone on Verizon, trust me you going to pay a lot more than sprint.
Ah I see now. Damn, I can’t believe people pay that much.
Anyways, the rent is still too damn high!
@moises Don’t base a price increase from 3g to 4g off of what Sprint did. Up until now verizon is offering 4G for the same price as 3G on their usb modems. That is the business model they are showing. Not the sprint model of having people pay more for 4g. I wouldn’t be surprised if they charged like $5 more a month or something like that. But based on the sample they’ve given us, one would deduce that the data plan prices won’t change. Your reasoning is based off of less than logical thought processes. My reasoning is based off of a precedent set within that company. But all things can change. I look at the information in front of me and make my assumptions.
Just to let you guys in on a little known secret, it is actually CHEAPER for us to run a 4g network, vs our 3g network, so believe it or not, it is in our best interest to get more people on 4g.
we do literally hundreds of hours of testing and focus groups in small cities first to determine the best price and allowance the average consumer will need. so until we officially announce the 4g smartphone data plans, dont get too worked up over the pricing yet guys ;)
@zerocoo, i understand where you coming from, but at the same time what i am saying is that wait for Verizon to get an lte phone and i tell you right now that they will charge extra for lte usage.
I’m torn by this news. Like many of you, I want a contract free wifi only version. however, if this device is destined to be carrier supported and distributed, I’d rather have the newest technology built in now. It would be nice to have a month-to-month LTE option available as an option through verizon.
Besides, when the LTE version comes out six months later, all of us early adopters will be pissed
The bottom line is, Wireless Company’s can charge what ever the price they want… its up to u to decide if your happy what you pay for and most important thing if you can afford it. F.Y.I I’m located in SoCaL Verizon LtE limited it’s a lot more expensive for what my current Data plan. Thanks
Nobody knows what big reds plans are for lte handsets. They didn’t increase the price for data cards, I can’t say they won’t fit handsets, but I definatly will not assume they will follow sprints lead. That is asinine thinking at its worst.
@ EVERYONE the 4g data pricing is actually cheaper at the 5gb limit by $10 than verizons 3g. and the 10gb limit is only available on hotspot/tablets/netbooks for 3g leaving out the USB device.
@ Papa joe verizon doesn’t vary rates based on where you live.
Ugh. Tablets are not going to replace phones. Laptops, maybe, but not phones.
Therefore, WE DON’T NEED WIRELESS DATA PLANS FOR TABLETS!!!
Anybody savvy enough to do real business on a tablet will know how to use their smart phone’s data via wireless tethering. To all the idiots out there that own an Android phone yet still pay for a data plan on an iPad/Android tablet: you are just that… idiots.
How stupid is it going to be when Ivan makes this big keynote at CES about Verizon’s “amazing” new LTE network, and then Moto announces a brand new relatively “ground-breaking” tablet for Verizon that isn’t LTE? I personally have no doubt in my mind that the Moto Xoom will be LTE, and if it’s not, someone f’d up BIG time.
@lex, what about people who only have feature phones, but want a tablet? Or people who don’t want to lose their high speed data connection on their tablet when they get a phone call(as would happen on ev-do)? More to the point, just because you can’t think of a good reason to have a tablet with a data plan doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Calm down :)
Jeff j: htc will have the first Lte phone on Verizon, not Apple. Haven’t you seen the “First to 4G again” htc has been touting? Peter didn’t say that it would be second half, or second quarter for that matter. You should read the whole article, not just the excerpt.
@ckeegan
“someone f’d up BIG time.” Isnt that Moto’s slogan?
whats with all the talk about wireless tethering with your phone. just because it is possible doesn’t mean it is the best option. for instance i have a wireless home network and you can pretty much go anywhere now and access wifi.
@Jeff J, With LTE being GSM based, you won’t lose internet when you use the phone… right?
@BeerMe828, you wouldn’t if you have an LTE phone, no. So eventually it wouldn’t be a problem. I was just pointing out a reason why someone MAY want a data plan on their tablet…
@tim242 What article are you talking about? I was talking about this one:
http://androidcommunity.com/htc-lte-handsets-coming-h2-2011-mecha-anyone-20101215/
And it says “According to Chou HTC will have LTE smartphones on the market in the second half of 2011” If you caught a detail in some OTHER article that contradicts that, by all means share it, but in the meantime, try to not be so condescending. And as for “First to 4G, again” I hope they are, but the statement is ambiguous enough that I’m taking it for granted. And really even if they are first, but the first isn’t out until summer, I’ll be disappointed.
I could care less about 4g…I just need wifi I have wireless tethering with my Evo4g…I just want the tablet…wifi only please…
@JeffJ — If somebody has a regular/feature phone and a tablet with a data plan, they are overpaying. Just pay for the data plan on an Android and you’ll likely not even need the tablet. But, if you choose to have a tablet (or a laptop/netbook) you still get tethered data at no additional cost. Like I said, the tablet shouldn’t be seen as a phone replacement.
@lex, I’m not disagreeing with anything you say other than “idiots” Just because WE don’t need wireless plans doesn’t mean that there isn’t a significant chunk of the market that do. I mean(depending on you carrier) tethering may require you to pay extra or root your phone. We are the minority. To have it as option will increases market share, and LTE over EV-DO even more so. The more market share, the better our products get.
@beerme: LTE is not GSM based. It is a whole separate tech from any old offering. GSM is not even capable of 3G, they use WCDMA for that.
@tim242 I was going to say the same thing, and still agree, but LTE IS backward compatible with GSM, and WAS developed from the same technology…at least according to GSM: http://www.gsmworld.com/technology/lte.htm, and Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3GPP_Long_Term_Evolution
I’d guess that’s what he meant…
I don’t have Verizon’s 4G rolling out anywhere near where I live or go regularly anyway, any time soon so i don’t care at all.
@Bianca: Since Verizon hasn’t announced when and where Lte will launch next…you have no clue : )
Why you guys are so worried bout a LTE Tablet it’s their first one and kinda early to have a 4G tablet.
We do not need a tablet with wireless. Everybody that buys one will have an Android phone to tether. What we need is an unlimited data plan in 4G that allows you to use Skype or VOIP. In the future phone calls will not be billed separately.
@Tim :-)
I feel confident in saying I will be one of those people rounding out the 2013 group. XD
wow if they don’t announce a wifi only model of the moto tablet they’re making a big mistake. especially with iPad2 around the corner coming to Verizon as well.
it IS in Motorola’s interest to make a wifi only version, instead of it bundled with a data plan. if they don’t do this, prepare for a mass exodus of android users going iPad2.
@jeff j: The second half of 2011 was referring to the rest of the world. Some blogs provided incorrectinfo. Here’s the quote and source:
“We are working on an LTE device for next year, 2011. We think that the U.S. mobile operator will be taking some lead and pushing 4G in the U.S. market. But, however, we are seeing the rest of the world will be deploying LTE networks in 2011. Could be the second half of 2011.”
http://m.androidcentral.com/htcs-ceo-says-lte-phones-coming-2011-will-support-nfc-too
Who cares as long as they have a wifi only model.
i think there is goanna be an lte version but that might be expensive. we might have it like this
three versions of the tablet
one with wifi
one with wifi and 3g
one with lte and other radios.
there is a rumour that motorola etna also goanna have the lte radios. if motorola wants to put a lte in their phones then sure they might also put it in their tablets too.
@tim242 NICE, good work :)
As some of the above already stated.. so long as their is wifi only. Im good..
WiFi only plz, Android tether is all we needs :o)
if it’s only verizon it’s goin’ to suck.
As long as they release a wifi only version, then no one will care about the lack of 4G. I mean would anyone REALLY care about that anyway? Apple sells DOUBLE the number of wifi-only iPads compared to the other models, proving that the vast majority of would-be buyers want nothing to do with a data plan. The only way to avoid a total fail with this product is if a wifi-only version is added to its lineup. Personally, I think having to add a data plan to these things is like buying a nice new plasma TV but having to sign for the cable/dish package before you walk out the door…otherwise you’re subject to paying double the price for the TV. Its horrible. Why can’t we just buy the product!?! Imagine that.
The proper tablet on the best network, I’ll be an early adopter.
@Joe, Even if it were triple, do you think they’d want to give up 25% of their sales? Regardless, the point is moot, apparently you can get a data card for it. http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/droid-xoom-will-see-4g-lte-through-optional-modem/
uhhhh…
3g = $59.99 for 5 gb
4g = $50 for 5 gb
How is that more expensive?
Also the current galaxy tab doent require a contract…its month to month. Not sure if people quite understand that. So most likley whatever comes out will also more than likley not require contract.
Nisme is a dumbass.
Probably since nisme doesn’t even know that VZW doesnt have 4G.Haha, dumby!!
@pimpstrong you spelled ‘dumby’ wrong, dummy..
Oh, and lte will be a separate add-on. 3g and wifi will be included with a wifi only version to follow sometime later. This is a business, people.. think like a business.
guess it sucks to be wrong
I swear man verizon with there data plans is retarded.. people already pay enough bills as it is.. but yeah suuuure lets drain the consumer of even mooore money for our tabs. What a rip. If motorola and verizon have any brain whatsoever theyd have a little common sense and offer a wifi version like apple.. which in part is the reason ipad is such a success cuz they give consumers a choice. I really am planning on buying a xoom tab as long as they dont add some lucrative data contract with it.if not guess ima buy the ipad 2 .. if u read this moto and verizon and check the comments around the web. People are willing to
Buy it as long as you offer some some wifi only version.. seriously
P.s galaxy tab sucks for the price.. u got ripped off if u bought one cuz this year as shown at ces theres gonna be much better tabs for the same price….. cheers ^_^
I was told at CES by Motorola that you would be able to send your Xoom to Motorola to get an LTE chip installed.
http://cellphoneforums.net/motorola/t321217-motorola-xoom-4g-lte.html