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A few leaks suggested so much would be the case last week, but Samsung has gone official with updates for two devices on Sprint’s network this week. The Samsung Epic 4G and Samsung Galaxy Tab will both receive firmware upgrades beginning today, with the main selling point of each is the inclusion of Sprint ID support for customization of your Android device.
The updates are headed out over the air, and should be accessible to all users by March 24th. Read the press release below for all the info:
Samsung Epic 4G and Samsung Galaxy Tab Now Sprint ID-Enabled, Bringing Unique Mobile Experience to 4G and Tablets for First Time
Sprint ID quickly customizes device with apps, widgets, ringtones and more in a single download, based on customers’ interests or favorite brands; Most popular Sprint ID pack downloads include Yahoo!, MTV Music ID and ESPN ID
Software update delivering Sprint ID will also include Android 2.2 (Froyo)
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – March 21, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced that its award-winning Samsung Epic™ 4G* and Samsung Galaxy Tab™ will be Sprint ID-enabled, beginning March 21, allowing customers who own these devices to download a complete mobile experience, called an “ID pack” – including apps, widgets, ringtones, wallpapers, shortcuts and more – tailored to their specific interests, business needs or favorite brands in a single download.
All existing Samsung Epic 4G and Samsung Galaxy Tab owners will be prompted this week to accept the over-the-air software update in their device’s notification tab. Once the update is installed, the user can find the Sprint ID icon in their Applications Menu and begin experiencing Sprint ID. All users should have access to this new software update by March 24.
The software update for Samsung Epic 4G will also include the Android 2.2 (Froyo) operating system update. This update will add numerous capabilities, including Adobe Flash Player 10.1, Bluetooth dialing and allows app installation to external storage.
Customers who purchase a new Samsung Epic 4G or Samsung Galaxy Tab can access Sprint ID from their Applications Menu when they turn it on for the first time. Customers can learn more about how to use Sprint ID on their device by visiting www.sprint.com/epicsupport or www.sprint.com/galaxytabsupport.
Sprint ID launched in October 2010 on three devices – LG Optimus S™, Sanyo Zio™ and Samsung Transform™ – with 16 consumer lifestyle ID packs targeting specific interests including Home Base, Health & Fitness, Fashion & Beauty, Socially Connected, Business Pro, Golf Enthusiast, Auto Enthusiast, The Big Apple and Entertainment, as well as branded ID packs from Yahoo!, WHERE and Lo2Yo by LatCel. Since launch, brands that have deployed Sprint ID packs include MTV, ESPN and HSN. Select ID packs will be available for download onto Samsung Galaxy Tab.
Customers with Sprint ID-capable devices can download up to five ID packs onto their phone and easily switch back and forth between them or swap them out for new ones. Sprint customers currently are downloading an average of two ID packs per device. Sprint ID packs are free to download with an Everything Data plan.
“We are very pleased with the success of Sprint ID and excited to expand this rich mobile experience to customers with these two popular devices – Samsung Epic 4G and Samsung Galaxy Tab,” said John Carney, senior vice president consumer marketing at Sprint. “Sprint ID handset sales have exceeded our expectations, which is proof that customers, especially those new to smartphones, want an easier way to get apps they’ll enjoy rather than searching through thousands of apps in Android Market™. As this data about ID pack downloads shows, customers are passionate about certain brands, such as MTV, Yahoo! and ESPN, and are eager to download a complete mobile experience developed by that brand. We expect to see the same excitement from our customers about recently launched ID packs as well as branded packs from other partners we have in the pipeline.”
Since Sprint ID launched, the most popular Sprint ID packs include:
· Entertainment: Features games, music, photo and celebrity news apps to keep users entertained no matter where they go. Apps include Shazam (identify any song), WikiMobile (mobile encyclopedia) and Poynt (local search app that lets users connect with businesses, restaurants and people near them).
· Yahoo!: Gives users access to their favorite Yahoo! services in one simple download including Yahoo! Finance, Mail, News, Sports, Messenger, Fantasy Football and Flickr.
· MTV Music ID: MTV Music ID allows fans to quickly download a package of apps, widgets and other content, including MTV News, MTV Photos, MTV Twitter and streaming music apps.
· Socially Connected: Delivers a customized experience for keeping users connected with friends while on the go. Features Facebook, TweetCaster and more, creating the ultimate starting point for their own multi-tasking, socially connected mobile package.
· ESPN ID: Instant access to scores right on the device’s home screen, as well as one-tap access to sports news, fantasy teams and the user’s favorite ESPN programs, including more than 900 live events per year on ESPN Mobile TV.
· WHERE: Enables people to discover the world around them by recommending local information, places and events; also helps people save money by providing location based coupons and cheapest gas stations. Allows users to find everything from weather, news and restaurant reviews to the closest coffee shop, traffic updates, movie show times and offers from local merchants.
· Fashion & Beauty: Delivers a customized experience for keeping users connected and up-to-date on the latest fashion trends, celebrity gossip, beauty and style. Apps include TrendTracker (keep track of the latest runway looks, fashion news, trend ideas); TMZ & E! Online (breaking celeb news); and ShopSavvy (scan the barcode of any product and it will search for all the best prices from local and online retailers).
· Health & Fitness: Healthy eating on the go is made easier with the Health & Fitness ID Pack. Apps include Fast Food Calorie Counter; Cardio Trainer (training partner for running, cycling, hiking, and other fitness activities); Yoga Trainer Lite; and iTriage (find closest health care providers and more).
· Home Base: A great solution for those running a modern household. Apps include Big Oven (featuring 170,000+ recipes); E! Online (get celebrity gossip fix); Pandora (listen to your favorite tunes wherever you are); Grocery Smart (create shopping lists); and Springpad (save notes, tasks or lists).
· Lo2yo Latino: Lo2Yo Latino ID brings users the best of their Latino world from news and entertainment to sports, soap operas and much more, all in Spanish.For more information about Sprint ID and to see all Sprint ID packs, visit www.sprint.com/sprintid.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 49.9 million customers at the end of 2010 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.
Neat idea for Uncle Bob so he doesn’t have to sort through the Android Market. I enjoy hunting for quality apps though, and tailoring what is on my phone.
Interestingly enough, my Tab hour its update during the weekend. Nothing special.
Oh my god, I am so happy I downloaded the 2.2 update from the Sprint website *before* they packed it with this idiotic garbage. Is Sprint now the “Tween Network”? Is there a Justin Bieber theme? Can I watch world premiere episodes of the new Disney show “Safely Mischevious Preteen Girls” on my phone now? What a joke. How dumb do you have to be to think this is a benefit to you and not just a way to relentlessly pump targeted marketing efforts down your throat?
Sprint, all you need to do is put out a decent dual-core phone with a big screen and no serious flaws and you’ll be fine. Stop with these gimmicky devices and heinous bloatware!
I’m anxious to see how buggy froyo is going to be this time on the epic.
My Transform… Sprint…
EB13 is treating me so well that I wouldnt even consider downloading this update.
I have the eb13 update and its working great is there any reason to update
I totally don’t want a phone with this garbage.
I want a STOCK Android phone!!!
I have to agree with @John Clavis I’m surprised Samsung allowed this to happen on any product they have. Sprint know’s not to bring that sprint ID mess to Htc or even think of changing anything on the Evo 4g much less the new Htc Evo3d. I can only that maybe sprint has found some kind of solution that will assist in faster updates for the Epic 4g. I can only hope so my epic friends have not been treated to well.
Richard. Dito. And also thanks for reconizing the fact that us epic owners have been sort of swept under the mouse pad. For how patient ive been forced to be in all of this, with out seeing an update yet, this better be good. And to be bundled with the id junk it better be fast.
Syndicate Frozen Rom 2.2.1 for Epic4g has been amazing. Coupled with SetCPU my batter life is lasting all day and zero lag on anything I want to do with the phone, huge upgrade over 2.1. No reason I know of currently to upgrade to the Sprint official release of 2.2. I will watch XDA to see if they find any upgrades in this release and start using it as a platform to create custom ROMs from.
So will the people that updated from the samsung site before it was pulled be required to do this update also and get the sprint? If the sprint id is the only thing new from the update then I’m good cuz I have had no problems at all from the 2.2 update before it was pulled off the site
Actually, the only problem I’ve had was with the well-known issue of the physical keyboard dropping keystrokes. Ironically, having to deal with that nonsense (and an injury to my thumb) caused me to switch to the onscreen keyboard, and now I actually like it better than the physical keyboard, so I’m going to ditch the Epic the moment the 2011 dual-core version of the Evo comes out…
Figures, not a stinking word about the transform. I am so sick of this.