Sprint gears up for more Android, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile goodness
Yesterday, Sprint executive David Owens dropped a ton of great news for Sprint customers in a live chat. Some of the news isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s still good to know and get confirmation from Sprint directly. Read on for the list of items that were mentioned.
- Google Android OS updates are coming for the HTC Hero and Samsung Moment. While he didn’t specify a version – 1.6 or 2.0 – HTC has previously confirmed that they’re working on an Android 2.0 update for the Hero.
- Combination CDMA/GSM Android phones are also “a possibility but nothing this year.”
- They’re considering an Android phone with a built-in MiFi-type router.
- Android phones will get less expensive “as we see volume across the industry.”
- Lots of HTC and BlackBerry phones coming next year. HTC phones “will be on the Android platform.”
- Sprint will “add Wi-Fi to [the BlackBerry] Tour” and have other Wi-Fi BlackBerry smartphones going forward.
- They’re testing Windows Mobile 6.5 updates for the HTC Touch Pro2 and other Windows phones; “plan for early 2010.”
- They want Windows Mobile 7.0 “as soon as possible, but dependent on Microsoft.”
- Expect WiMAX phones next year.
- No tethering for phones that require Everything plans (such as all smartphones) from here on out.
We already know about the updates coming to the Hero and Wi-Fi for the Tour, but it’s pretty cool to see that WiMAX phones are on the horizon. Hopefully that means a faster rollout of the 4G service. Owens also mentions more BlackBerry phones coming next year — could that mean that Sprint is also getting a 85xx series Curve just like Verizon? It could be the Wi-Fi BlackBerry he’s talking about when “going forward.” Lastly, for travelers, having more CDMA/GSM world phones with Android is pretty good news, even if we have to wait until next year.
Do you guys think these carriers give a dam about anyone of you.. They put on smiley faces and make adds so they can suck as much food out of your cupboards as possible.. And its even worse if you work for them..
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AT&T has Win Mobile 6.5 on the TouchPro2 aka Tilt2,Europe carriers can get 6.5 upgrade now on HTC website but Sprint is making us wait til 2010???? 6.5 has been out for awhile now…………………..WTH
AT&T was smart and waited to launch it almost 3 months after release when 6.5 came out. sprin has the Intrepid with it though
looks like Sprint is getting a complete make? but no tethering on Everything plans WTF???
They never officially allowed tethering with those plans, PAM was permissible at launch but then the $150 Everything plan with an aircard came out
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if you buy the mifi phone you won’t need tethering. if sprint really wants to resurrect itself, it should become the first wireless carrier to sell pure data/voip plans and phones. be a leader, that’s what makes a great brand.
as soon as i posted this, without knowing what wimax is, it occurred to me that this is probably what “wimax phone” means….
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VZW, where’s the clarification for that blanket statement that isn’t true?
Wow.. You People Need Something To Do..Holy Cow Everyone Has Their Own Opinion Why So Much Hate?? I Have Sprint And I Love Them..Thats My Opinion. So Go Outside And Get Some Fresh Air ANd Stop The Whining You Little Bitches…..
This is the internet. Fat chance of that happening.
You love them now, just wait until they f*** you. Sandpaper, no lube. Bleeding. Not fun.
Bye Sprint, it’s been a great 10 year run. That’s one bad decision too many.
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Of course. Why allow a user to tether their device at $15-40 a month, when you can force them to subscribe a 2nd line of service, boost your subscription numbers, force them into two separate contracts which mean 2 ETF’s potentially if all else fails, and bill them minimum $60.00 each bill per month if they still insist on getting a Smartphone?
But that’s not the reason at all. Sprint calls phone tethering users a “vocal minority” and not a part of their key demographic in the first place. So I would take that as smartphone users who know how to use their devices aren’t their demographic. Or people who know the limit of their plans and how to effectively use them.
See, if you’re not pro-subscriber, you’re pro-stockholder, and guess what most analysts at Wall Street want Sprint to do? Get bought out and disappear (the difference between getting a gift horse and buying one who should be given away… hard to find buyers of a broken race animal), or go belly up and short sale it to death. Who’s better to please in the long run?
When you say things like things as such it confirms your bias, where is it located? When was this horrible C.S. had, all of happened before these plans and coverage improvements. You like a lot of people don’t want to give savings a chance and now that vzw has unrestricted the phones, smart at least, there’s something to cheer about
I switched back to sprint after being raped by att…. I never thought I would but 3g speed is fast and good cal quality… You’d have to be a sucker to pay anything more…
Sprint is starting to make some decent strides but they still have a way to go. They need a knockout handset to help them, because the rate plans and Palm Pre haven’t so far.
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Thanx for the valuable information. mobile world is very in trend these days…….. keep posting. Will be visiting back soon.
I really like Sprint. I’m not with them anymore because I wanted the iPhone, but my wife has a BlackBerry with them and she loves the service. She hasn’t had a dropped call in such a long time. Service in Chicago is great. The rate plan is unbeatable and she can upgrade hervdevice every year. So we are happy. In saying that, I am also happy with AT
I’m glad to see Sprint getting more Android devices. Android and Web OS.
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Naperville North America
hi im verizon wireless and i just want to rip off all my customers.who cares if they cant afford it?im THE NETWORK.im awesome cause im called that.i know i have shitty plans and shitty phone but who cares im making money!and its good money that could of went to a better cause.i hate my customers.i love making money off there dissapointment.hahaha suckers.
What about new iDEN blackberrys. How about an upgrade to the 8350i. At 2G it’s sooooo slow. I know it has WiFi but it only helps so much.
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/02/sprint-lights-up-wimax-in-nc-chicago-and-dallas-launches-subsi/
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/10/23/clearwire-and-sprint-slinging-wimax-to-nc-hi-and-tx-in-november/
non of these stories got any traction hree
I don’t get the “more windows mobile goodness” part. which phones? HTC HD2? There seems to be no buzz about Sprint and new Windows mobile phoens at all other than catch-up with 6.5 on the he touch pro 2.
Also tethering is one of the reason I stick with Sprint. I can spend up to $100/month covered through work and have an everything plan and use tethering about once a month for 30 minutes. It makes no sense to get an aircard and if they stop me (I have a Touch Pro 2) I will go to Verizon for the better service coverage.