Google’s flagship device, the Galaxy Nexus, has been widely acclaimed and we had great things to say in our review of the world’s first Ice Cream Sandwich phone. The device is fast, responsive, and Android 4.0 is the most polished version of Android yet. Numerous users are reporting a bug that randomly reboots their devices, however, and the exact cause of the issue is unclear at this time. The majority of these reports come from owners of the GSM version, although Verizon’s CDMA model isn’t immune immune to the problem. The issue is widespread, with users suffering reboots while streaming music, playing games or even while the device is idle. Additionally, affected customers are reporting that the reboots seem to occur more frequently as time progresses. Google has indicated that the company aware of the problem and is investigating it.

Read

Sprint announced that it will offer the Motorola ADMIRAL, the first Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) PTT handset with support for its new CDMA-based Direct Connect network, on October 23rd. The phone will cost $99.99 with a new two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate. The ADMIRAL meets Mil-Spec 810G ratings for dust, shock, vibration, solar radiation, low pressure and high and low temperatures. It is equipped with a 1.2GHz processor, a full QWERTY keyboard, a 5-megapixel camera capable of recording 720p video, support for sharing its 3G connection with other Wi-Fi devices with Mobile Hotspot, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and 4GB of internal storage. Read on for the full press release.

First Android-Powered Smartphone with Sprint Direct Connect, Motorola ADMIRAL, Available Oct. 23 for Under $100

Motorola ADMIRAL delivers the gold standard in push-to-talk to the Sprint Network; Boasts Android 2.3, a 3.1-inch touchscreen display with
QWERTY keyboard and military spec toughness

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., and LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Oct. 20, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE: S) and Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) today announced the availability of Motorola ADMIRAL™, the first smartphone that boasts Sprint Direct Connect® speed, powered by Android™. It goes on sale in Sprint direct ship sales channels, including Sprint Business Sales, Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1) and Web Sales (www.sprint.com) and can be ordered at Sprint Stores beginning Sunday, Oct. 23, for $99.99 with a new line or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement, after a $50 mail-in rebate via reward card1. It will be available Sunday, Nov. 13, through all Sprint sales channels.

Motorola ADMIRAL features Android 2.3, Gingerbread, a 1.2GHz processor, 3.1-inch VGA touchscreen display and QWERTY keyboard. It will use the Sprint 3G (EVDO Rev. A) network to provide the gold-standard push-to-talk capabilities of Sprint Direct Connect.

Ready for the toughest conditions, Motorola ADMIRAL is designed to meet Military Standard 810G for dust, shock, vibration, solar radiation, low pressure and high and low temperatures. Plus, with Corning® Gorilla® Glass®, Motorola ADMIRAL’s touchscreen display is scratch-resistant.

“Motorola ADMIRAL will be the flagship smartphone of Sprint’s all-new Sprint Direct Connect portfolio,” said David Owens, vice president – Product Development, Sprint. “We know our customers will appreciate this tough Android-powered smartphone that combines 3G data speeds with push-to-talk capabilities. It is designed to offer mobile professionals instant communications and mobile broadband data access when it matters most while being able to withstand the toughest environments.”

“Motorola is excited to bring the first Android-powered smartphone to the Sprint Direct Connect portfolio,” said Jeff Miller, corporate vice president of sales, Motorola Mobility. “With Motorola ADMIRAL, Direct Connect customers can enjoy the instantaneous connection they have come to expect from a push-to-talk device, along with the speed, durability and security needed to get the job done, wherever the work day may take them.”

Built with business in mind, Motorola ADMIRAL supports Microsoft Exchange and other email systems. It is easy to push delivery of Microsoft Exchange email tailored to the needs of specific users, and with robust calendar capabilities, employees can access the corporate Global Address List to create, edit and share meetings.

Motorola ADMIRAL also has the security features IT departments demand and protects sensitive company data with enhanced on-device security features that can be managed via the existing Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync Server, including password support, remote wipe and data encryption, as well as more than 30 other security policies. It offers standard PIN and password lock support, but goes above and beyond to include an alphanumeric requirement, complexity standards, expiration, history and recovery capabilities that are considered best-in-class features for Android-powered smartphones in the industry. Data encryption at rest on the device and microSD card also helps ensure that sensitive company data remains confidential.

Key features of Motorola ADMIRAL include:
1.2GHz processor to unlock full multi-tasking possibilities, including instantaneous page downloads and seamless document editing
Quickoffice® to view and edit Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as Adobe® PDF documents anywhere, anytime
5-megapixel camera with 720p HD video capture, flash and 4x zoom
Full suite of Google mobile services, including Google Maps™, Google Talk™, Gmail™, Google Voice™ and YouTube™
Android Market™ for access to more than 250,000 applications, widgets and games
Adobe® Flash® Player to enjoy games, interactive web apps and websites with technical or training videos
3G Mobile Hotspot capability supporting up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously
Wi-Fi® – 802.11 b/g/n
4GB internal memory with option to increase with up to 32GB micro SD card
Connected music player with access to all your favorite artists, including live, personalized recommendations for songs and videos, as well as news and event updates from the world of music

Sprint Direct Connect is a portfolio of push-to-talk services that allow individuals and groups to get more done – quickly and easily with just the push of a button. Among the initial Sprint Direct Connect services:
Sprint Direct Connect – Instant, one-to-one push-to-talk calling nationwide on the Sprint network, with any other Direct Connect subscriber. Direct Connect is the core push-to-talk feature and is designed for interoperability across Sprint and Nextel network platforms.
Guaranteed Talk Permit – The assurance that when you hear the push-to-talk “chirp” that your call was successfully transmitted.
Call Alert with Text – Send an audio alert with an optional text message to let another Direct Connect subscriber know you are trying to reach them and why.
Group Connect® – Communicate with up to 20 other Sprint Direct Connect subscribers all at once – nationwide, at the push of one button.
TeamDCSM – Communicate with up to 200 other Sprint Direct Connect subscribers at the same time nationwide2.
NextMail® – Send a recorded message to any email worldwide or mobile handset via text message by using the Direct Connect button.
Availability Notification – Request the availability status of another push-to-talk member and, if they are busy, request a notification when they are free.

With more than 18 years of expertise, Sprint is the industry leader in push-to-talk, serving the world’s largest push-to-talk community with millions of Direct Connect subscribers. Direct Connect from Sprint has set the industry standard for push-to-talk worldwide.

A pioneer in push-to-talk technology, Motorola Mobility has been providing devices for the push-to-talk community since the network’s inception. With the introduction of Direct Connect from Sprint, Motorola Mobility continues to innovate and provide reliable and compelling products that utilize the latest push-to-talk solutions.

Motorola ADMIRAL requires activation on a plan with unlimited data. Sprint Business customers may be eligible to activate Motorola ADMIRAL on a Sprint Business Advantage Messaging and Data plan, starting at just $59.99 per month plus required $10 per month Premium Data add-on for smartphones. Business Advantage Messaging and Data plans include Any Mobile, AnytimeSM for unlimited calling to and from any mobile in America, plus unlimited web, texting and Direct Connect.

For consumers, Sprint’s Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, Anytime includes unlimited web, texting and calling to and from any mobile in America while on the Sprint Network, starting at just $69.99 per month plus required $10 per month Premium Data add-on for smartphones and $5 Direct Connect add-on. Simply Everything delivers unlimited web, texting, calling and Direct Connect for $99.99 per month plus required $10 per month Premium Data add-on for smartphones.

The Mobile Hotspot option is available for an additional $29.99 per month supporting up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously with up to 5GB of data while on the Sprint network3. (All pricing excludes taxes and surcharges).

For more information about Motorola ADMIRAL and Sprint Direct Connect, visit www.sprint.com/sprintdirectconnect.

Sprint announced on Tuesday that it will deploy its CDMA-based push-to-talk network on October 2nd. “Our customers are asking for broadband and push-to-talk,” president-Sprint Business Paget Alves said. “We’ve seen steadily increasing demand for faster data speeds, better and broader coverage, and more applications on push-to-talk devices. Sprint Direct Connect is designed to solve for all three.” The new service supports Group Connect and TeamDC for connecting with up to 20 or 200 other Direct Connect users at the same time, the ability to check if anyone is available using an “Availability Notification,” call alerts with texts and more. Sprint expects the new network to grow to the size of its current CDMA voice coverage area by the end of 2012.  The Kyocera DuraMax is one of the first devices to run on the new network. It offers a rugged form factor that meets Military Standard 810G specifications and is equipped with GPS, Bluetooth, a 3.2-megapixel camera and more. The DuraMax will be available on October 2nd for $69.99 with a new two-year contract. Read on for the full CDMA PTT press release from Sprint.

Sprint’s New Push-to-Talk Service – Sprint Direct Connect – to Launch Next Week

3G CDMA-based Sprint Direct Connect will expand push-to-talk coverage, enhance customers’ broadband data capabilities, and enable new features

Kyocera DuraMax available exclusively from Sprint Oct. 2 for $69.99

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), September 27, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced a Sunday, Oct. 2, launch date for Sprint Direct Connect^®, ushering in the next generation of push–to-talk service from the company that pioneered push–to-talk. Sprint Direct Connect will come packed with broadband data capabilities, familiar push-to-talk features, rugged and reliable handsets, and a broadening push-to-talk coverage map expected in early 2012.

“Our customers are asking for broadband and push-to-talk,” said Paget Alves, president-Sprint Business. “We’ve seen steadily increasing demand for faster data speeds, better and broader coverage, and more applications on push-to-talk devices. Sprint Direct Connect is designed to solve for all three.”

Sprint’s 3G data network and our enhanced push-to-talk platform will deliver instant calls, increased push-to-talk reliability, and support for cutting-edge data applications. Sprint’s broadband speeds will enable customers to experience the latest in technology applications, such as enterprise business productivity applications, social and multimedia support, and even advanced push-to-X capabilities in the future.

Sprint’s upgraded push-to-talk platform, designed with Qualcomm, plays a significant role in enabling Sprint Direct Connect enhancements and expanded coverage footprint capability. “Qualcomm is providing Sprint a carrier-grade, IP-based solution that delivers the advanced push-to-talk experiences customers are demanding today and sets a solid foundation for Sprint Direct Connect to support even more advanced communications in the future,” said Michael Wallace, senior vice president and general manager of Qualcomm Internet Services.

Among the initial Sprint Direct Connect services:

• Direct Connect^® – Instant, one-to-one push-to-talk calling nationwide, with any other Direct Connect subscriber. Direct Connect is the core push-to-talk feature and is designed for interoperability across Sprint and Nextel network platforms.
• Guaranteed Talk Permit – The assurance that when you hear the push-to-talk “chirp” that your call was successfully transmitted.
• Call Alert with Text – Send an audio alert with an optional text message to let another Direct Connect subscriber know you are trying to reach them and why.
• Group Connect^® – Communicate with up to 20 other Sprint Direct Connect subscribers all at once – nationwide, at the push of one button.
• TeamDC^SM – Communicate with up to 200 other Sprint Direct Connect subscribers at the same time nationwide¹.
• NextMail^® – Send a recorded message to any email worldwide or mobile handset via text message by using the Direct Connect button.
• Availability Notification – Request the availability status of another push-to-talk member and, if they are busy, request a notification when they are free.

Sprint Direct Connect Coverage

Sprint Direct Connect service will continue to evolve. In early 2012, the Sprint Direct push-to-talk coverage area is expected to grow to match the Sprint CDMA voice coverage area – expected to be almost three times the square miles covered by Nextel iDEN today. Additionally, in 2012, international push-to-talk calling to select countries will also begin rolling out to help support our current customers with international push-to-talk needs.

Sprint Direct Connect Devices

In the fourth quarter, Sprint will begin to offer three new Sprint Direct Connect devices. The first new handset, Kyocera DuraMax, will be available Oct. 2 for $69.99 with a new two-year service agreement or eligible upgrade and after a $50 mail-in rebate via a reward card². It will be available in all Sprint retail channels, including Web sales (www.sprint.com) and Telesales (1-800-Sprint1).

Kyocera DuraMax is the workhorse of the new Sprint Direct Connect portfolio. It has a rugged exterior and non-slip Dura-Grip^® surface, a 2.0-inch QVGA TFT main display, 3.2 MP camera with flash and camcorder, and is designed to meet Military Standard 810G for dust, shock, vibration, extreme temperatures, blowing rain and water immersion (up to 30 minutes in one meter of water).

Kyocera DuraCore, a rugged phone built to meet Military Standard 810G specifications for dust, shock and vibration, to withstand tough environments is expected to launch by year-end and a Sprint Direct Connect Android device by Motorola is lined up and expected for fourth quarter.

Network Vision

Sprint Direct Connect marks an important step in the evolution of Network Vision, Sprint’s blueprint to deploy a single, cost-effective and innovative broadband wireless network. Sprint’s Network Vision upgrade will result in enhanced coverage; quality and speed; better network flexibility; reduced operating costs; and improved environmental sustainability. During the Network Vision implementation, Sprint plans to support the iDEN network into 2013 and to assist customers with their migration to the new feature-rich Sprint Direct Connect devices.

Apple and Sprint are preparing to launch a new version of the iPad 2 at the same time or shortly after a Sprint-compatible iPhone 5 is unveiled this fall, a new report claims. 9to5 Mac states that Apple and Sprint have completed development of an iPad 2 that includes an embedded cellular radio compatible with Sprint’s data network. It is unclear which Sprint data network the tablet will support: the carrier’s older 3G network, its 4G WiMAX network or perhaps even both. No previous reports indicate that Apple has conducted any late-stage development with WiMAX — which Sprint is shifting focus away from moving forward — so a 4G-enabled iPad 2 may not be likely at this point in time. The report also notes that Sprint may offer its unlimited data plan with the iPad 2, as it is expected to do with its iPhone 5.

Read

AT&T isn’t the only major U.S. carrier getting in on the action today. Sprint on Wednesday confirmed that it too will soon launch a pair of Research In Motion’s latest smartphones. The touch-and-type BlackBerry Bold 9930 and the full touchscreen BlackBerry Torch 9850 will both become available to Sprint subscribers later this fall. Sprint neglected to specify a launch date or pricing, but we likely won’t have long to wait until these sleek new BlackBerry 7 phones find their way to store shelves. “Sprint’s incredibly loyal BlackBerry customers will appreciate the benefits of the BlackBerry 7 user experience on these two new smartphones – BlackBerry Bold 9930 and BlackBerry Torch 9850,” said Sprint’s product boss Fared Adib in a statement. “BlackBerry 7 is an evolution that extends the ability to support our customers domestically and internationally as they juggle their busy personal and professional lives with one easy-to-use device. We are excited to continue our strong relationship with RIM through these new powerful devices.” Sprint’s full press release follows below.

America’s First BlackBerry 7 Smartphones
Coming to Sprint This Fall

BlackBerry Bold 9930 boasts thinnest design and widest QWERTY on a BlackBerry smartphone; BlackBerry Torch 9850 will be the first all-touch BlackBerry smartphone for Sprint customers

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Aug. 3, 2010 – Sprint (NYSE: S) announced an expansion of its robust portfolio of BlackBerry^® smartphones with the fall availability of America’s first two BlackBerry^® 7 smartphones – BlackBerry^® Bold™ 9930 and BlackBerry^® Torch™ 9850 from Research In Motion (RIM). Specific pricing and availability will be provided closer to availability.

Both new smartphones are powered by the next-generation BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 7, a performance-driven operating system designed to deliver the ultimate in communications, multimedia and productivity. Both smartphones also feature Liquid Graphics™ technology, a key new feature powered by BlackBerry 7 to deliver incredibly fast, smooth performance and a highly responsive touchscreen experience. They are also both powered by a 1.2GHz processor, offer 5MP cameras and are World Phone capable.

“Sprint’s incredibly loyal BlackBerry customers will appreciate the benefits of the BlackBerry 7 user experience on these two new smartphones – BlackBerry Bold 9930 and BlackBerry Torch 9850,” said Fared Adib, vice president – Product Development, Sprint. “BlackBerry 7 is an evolution that extends the ability to support our customers domestically and internationally as they juggle their busy personal and professional lives with one easy-to-use device. We are excited to continue our strong relationship with RIM through these new powerful devices.”

Two options – Super Thin or Full Touchscreen

At just 10.5mm thick, the BlackBerry Bold 9930 smartphone is the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone ever. It features a 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen display, the widest QWERTY keyboard available on a BlackBerry smartphone and a trackpad for easy navigation.

Key features of BlackBerry Bold 9930 include:

• BlackBerry^® service with access to up to 10 supported business and personal email accounts, plus BlackBerry^® Enterprise Server support for corporate email installations
• BlackBerry^® Playbook™ support with BlackBerry Bridge™ (Bridge is available as a free download on BlackBerry App World)
  • Near Field Communications (NFC) support for a secure exchange of information between NFC-enabled devices over a very short distance
  • Augmented Reality using the built-in compass (magnetometer) to support augmented reality applications

• DataViz Docs To Go^® Premium suite preloaded, for editing Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files from anywhere
• BlackBerry App World™, the official app store for BlackBerry smartphones offering customization, fun and productivity

The sleek BlackBerry Torch 9850 smartphone will be the first full-touch BlackBerry smartphone from Sprint. It features a spectacular, new 3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen display, the largest ever on a BlackBerry smartphone, and trackpad for easy navigation.

Key features of BlackBerry Torch 9850 include:

• BlackBerry^® service with access to up to 10 supported business and personal email accounts, plus BlackBerry^® Enterprise Server support for corporate email installations
• BlackBerry^® Playbook™ support with BlackBerry Bridge™ (Bridge is available as a free download on BlackBerry App World)
• Augmented Reality using the built-in compass (magnetometer) to support augmented reality applications
• DataViz Docs To Go^® Premium suite preloaded, for editing Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files from anywhere
• BlackBerry App World, the official app store for BlackBerry smartphones offering customization, fun and productivity

Enhancing the Experience with BlackBerry 7

BlackBerry 7 introduces a next-generation BlackBerry browser with a significantly faster, more fluid web browsing experience that is up to 40 percent faster than BlackBerry^® 6 based smartphones and up to 100 percent faster than BlackBerry^® 5 based smartphones¹.

The new BlackBerry Bold 9930 and BlackBerry Torch 9850 smartphones also feature Liquid Graphics technology, with each smartphone combining a dedicated high-performance graphics processor with a blazingly fast CPU and stunning high-resolution display to deliver an incredibly fast, smooth and responsive visual experience.

Building upon the Universal Search feature introduced in BlackBerry 6, BlackBerry 7 expands the capability to include voice-activated search. This new capability makes it easier and more convenient to search for content on the smartphone or web.

BlackBerry 7 also integrates BlackBerry^® Balance™, which separates personal content from corporate content, giving users the freedom and flexibility to use the smartphone for personal email, Facebook^®, Twitter^®, multimedia, games and other apps, while satisfying the need for corporate data to be highly secure and manageable. BlackBerry Balance works in conjunction with BlackBerry^® Enterprise Server 5.0.3, which provides a number of unique IT policy controls, such as wiping only corporate data or blocking work-related content and apps from being copied or forwarded to personal contacts.

BlackBerry Bold 9930 and BlackBerry Torch 9850 use the Sprint 3G Network domestically and offer World Phone capability for international travel to nearly anywhere in the world. Sprint customers have the power to make or receive phone calls in more than 185 countries and access to BlackBerry^® data services, including email, apps and web browsing in nearly 150 countries. Customers also have the option of using a third-party SIM for international voice and data services.

Sprint may be preparing to launch a beefier version of its QWERTY-sporting XPRT smartphone. Thisismynext has obtained screenshots and specs for a new phone dubbed the Motorola ‘Pax’ that could be launching in the near future. The Pax will come equipped with a dual-core processor, Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and support for Sprint’s upcoming CDMA 1X Advanced push-to-talk network, Thisismynext said. The thickness also suggests that it’s equipped with an extended battery, although that’s unconfirmed. It is unclear when Sprint will launch the Pax, but we expect it will be alongside the activation of its CDMA 1X network. Read on for two more shots of the phone.

Read

Qualcomm said it expects to ship between 120 million and 125 million chips during the quarter ending in September, a figure that is lower than the 130 million units MLM Partners LLC analyst Tero Kuittinen expected the company to move. The lower projection hit Qualcomm in late trading on Tuesday when its stock price fell 3.8%. Qualcomm blamed the lower than expected forecast on a weak European economy and said that consumers there aren’t buying new phones as quickly. “Chip units for autumn are light,” Qualcomm chief financial officer Bill Keitel said during a conference call. “The blame likely lies in Europe. European inventory correction now seems to be a fact instead of a theory. We reduced a bit our forecast for how many new CDMA-based units would sell into Europe. The situation demands that we still be cautious.” The company also noted that it hopes to begin working with manufacturers to build its Snapdragon processor into tablets. That chip is mostly used in smartphones now and manufacturers such as Samsung and Motorola have instead used NVIDIA’s dual-core Tegra 2 chip to power Android tablets.

Read

If you’re looking forward to the possibility of flip-flopping your smartphone’s SIM card between a Verizon Wireless 4G phone and an AT&T 4G phone, we have some bad news for you. Verizon Wireless spokeswoman Brenda Raney confirmed to PCMag on Friday that the carrier’s 4G LTE phones will not be compatible with AT&T’s 4G LTE network because the phones “run on different frequencies.” PCMag explained that while the two carriers operate within the 700MHz frequency band, AT&T will operate mostly within the 704-746MHz bands while Verizon’s 4G LTE will utilize the 746-787MHz frequencies. Additionally, Verizon still routes its voice calls over its 2G/3G CDMA network while AT&T uses GSM/HSPA. That means, until both networks are fully utilizing voice-over-LTE, it just won’t work. Sascha Segan, the article’s author, notes that it is possible for phone vendors to create devices that operate with the frequencies used by both AT&T and Verizon Wireless, but it would likely require the carriers to ink out some sort of agreement first. 

Read

China Telecom will offer the iPhone to its 106 million subscribers this year, Reuters reported on Wednesday. China Unicom has been the exclusive iPhone seller in the country since 2009, but China Telecom will introduce an iPhone model on its CDMA network in November according to the report. The launch date implies that the carrier will carry Apple’s next-generation iPhone 5, which is rumored to be thinner and lighter than the current model. China Mobile, the third of China’s big three wireless carriers, is also expected to introduce the iPhone 5 in September.

Read

It’s funny to think that until a few months ago, Apple’s iPhone was locked to a single carrier here in the U.S. And just like that, AT&T’s exclusivity agreement expired and Verizon Wireless starting selling the device. According to public statements from Verizon Wireless and Apple, there is no CDMA exclusive on the iPhone, though the device is still not available from any other CDMA provider in the world. But I think this will change later this year when Sprint and T-Mobile USA start retailing the iPhone 5. Hit the jump for my thoughts.

BGR exclusively reported in April that Apple has been testing a T-Mobile USA iPhone “4S” device, and while a test device doesn’t mean that the iPhone would definitely come to T-Mobile, with no exclusivity on the GSM or CDMA models the question would be why not? Why wouldn’t Apple bring its handset to the two remaining U.S. carriers and finally start to battle Android in the big leagues once and for all? Google tried a multi-carrier approach with the Nexus One and quickly failed, but Apple can and will do it successfully. One single device that will be practically identical on every major carrier in the U.S., and that single phone will be the best-selling smartphone on every carrier that sells it as it combats the introduction of gimmicky Android handsets introduced faster than you can remember their names.

The only question in my mind is whether T-Mobile and Sprint will also retail the iPhone 4 for what will most likely be $99, in addition to an iPhone 5. Would it make much sense for Apple to make last year’s model compatible with T-Mobile and Sprint? My gut says yes.

On Wednesday, Citadel Securities analyst Shing Yin said that an iPhone launch on Sprint is ever more likely since Verizon Wireless’ announcement that it will move from unlimited data plans to tiered data pricing on July 7th. According to Barron’s, Yin believes that Apple will be more compelled than ever to launch a device on Sprint, given that it’s the last remaining of the big four U.S. wireless carriers to offer a truly unlimited data option. “We believe Sprint could capture more than its fair share of iPhone sales, especially if it gets the new model at the same time as AT&T and Verizon.” Yin explained. “We see little reason for Apple to hold back,” he argued, noting that Sprint most likely would attempt to launch the device before the holiday season this year. “[Sprint] could offer an attractive proposition for more price-conscious users (a demographic we think is increasingly important to Apple following the rise of Android,” he said. “[It] could be a relatively stronger seller than the Verizon iPhone.”

Read

According to Macotakara, Apple is scheduled to launch its new iPhone in late July or August — not September as many other reports have claimed. Apple’s new device will offer a Cortex-A9 processor as well as an 8-megapixel camera. It may also have a SIM-free design and support for both GSM and CDMA networks, allowing it to run on Verizon and AT&T in the U.S. and on global networks abroad. The rumor also suggests that Apple will maintain the iPhone 4 form factor, which doesn’t match earlier a number of earlier reports that suggest the next generation iPhone will have a 4-inch screen, but it fits perfectly in line with the unreleased iPhone we posted pictures of back in April. Similarly, the rumor says Apple may veer further from its standard course and launch a new iPhone, dubbed “iPhone 6″ in the spring of next year.

Read

A report from DigiTimes is suggesting that Apple will begin to slow the production and shipment of the iPhone 4 in preparation for the arrival of the iPhone 4S, which could land as soon as this September. Apple has reportedly dropped its planned shipment volume for the second quarter from 20 million units to 17.5-18 million units. DigiTimes is also reporting that the iPhone 4S will be available in GSM / CDMA flavors and will offer an upgraded 8-megapixel camera — with optics provided by OmniVision Technologies and Largan Precision. Production is expected to begin in August. While Apple may be planning iPhone 4S launches on T-Mobile and Sprint, it appears that a 4G LTE model won’t hit the market until next year.

[Via 9to5 Mac]

Read

The Federal Communications Commission recently released documents outlining the testing and approval of Hewlett-Packard’s upcoming flagship smartphone, the HP Pre 3. Beyond the idea that the public release of these documents could mean that an official announcement isn’t far away, the documents also reveal that the CDMA version of the Pre 3, thought to be coming soon to Verizon Wireless, also includes global GSM compatibility. This would make Verizon’s version of the anticipated webOS phone a world phone. The FCC had previously released documents covering the approval of a GSM-only Pre 3 model thought to be headed soon to AT&T. BGR took a hands-on look at the Pre 3 back in February at HP’s Think Beyond event, and we called the device “the webOS smartphone we’ve been waiting for.” Unfortunately, it’s now three months later and we’re still waiting.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Read

Regional wireless provider U.S. Cellular has officially thrown its hat into the 4G ring. “U.S. Cellular, in conjunction with its partnership with King Street Wireless, announced today that it will deliver high-speed 4G LTE services and 4G-enabled devices to more than 25 percent of its customers across two dozen markets in time for the holiday season,” declares the company’s press release. U.S. Cellular plans to have LTE-enabled devices in market “during the first phase of its 4G LTE rollout” with additional devices populating the carrier’s lineup in 2012. Milwaukee, Madison and Racine, Wisconsin; Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa; Portland and Bangor, Maine; and Greenville, North Carolina will be among the first markets to be covered by the new, high-speed network. The full press release is after the break.

U.S. CELLULAR TO LAUNCH 4G LTE SERVICE AND DEVICES IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

CHICAGO (May 6, 2011) – U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM), in conjunction with its partnership with King Street Wireless, announced today that it will deliver high-speed 4G LTE services and 4G-enabled devices to more than 25 percent of its customers across two dozen markets in time for the holiday season. U.S. Cellular customers with 4G LTE devices and service will experience significantly faster data speeds when browsing the web, accessing e-mail, playing games and viewing and streaming videos.

The initial rollout of 4G LTE service for U.S. Cellular, which has the highest call quality and network satisfaction of any national carrier, is planned for selected cities in Iowa, Wisconsin, Maine, North Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma. These include some of U.S. Cellular’s leading markets such as Milwaukee, Madison and Racine, Wis.; Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa; Portland and Bangor, Maine; and Greenville, N.C.

“With 4G LTE, our customers will have faster connections to the people, information and entertainment that enhance their lives and help them stay organized,” said Mary N. Dillon, president and CEO of U.S. Cellular. “In addition to our line-up of cutting-edge devices, customers who switch to U.S. Cellular get unique benefits like faster phone upgrades without continuously signing contracts, and join the happiest customers in wireless.”

U.S. Cellular plans to introduce a portfolio of 4G-enabled devices during the first phase of its 4G LTE deployment and will continue to expand its offering through 2012. The rollout builds on the 3G data services that U.S. Cellular customers already enjoy on the carrier’s high-quality nationwide network. More details on the next phases of the company’s 4G LTE deployment will be announced at a later date.