In addition to the possible Apple iPhone 5 launch date, our source at Telus has shared an internal document that reveals a slew of release dates for some of the most hotly-anticipated handsets on this side of the equator. The BlackBerry Bold 9900 — what’s sure to be RIM’s finest Blackberry ever — should be available for purchase starting around August 15th in North America. Holding out for the upgraded BlackBerry Torch 2? The follow-up to the original model should be available around August 15th as well, in Canada at least. The BlackBerry Torch 9860 (full touchscreen version) is slated to touch down on or around August 22nd with the BlackBerry Curve Apollo bringing up the rear on August 29th. Hit the break for more.

The BlackBerry Orlando, the touchscreen low-cost Curve, is currently set to be released on October 1st, and the BlackBerry Bellagio, a touch and type version based on the BlackBerry 9700 is also set to debut on that date alongside the iPhone 5, as we already noted. Lastly, it’s not over for October 1st as the unannounced Sony Ericsson Urishi ST18a, a thin Gingerbread Android handset, is slated to also launch on the first day of October in Canada as well. Finally, the entry-level Samsung Cooper (Galaxy Ace) should launch on October 15th. We expect most the aforementioned handsets to be released in the U.S. very soon after the Canadian release dates, or possibly even before in some cases. All the juicy details can be seen in our image gallery above.

BGR has reported on several occasions that Apple will announce its brand new iPhone 5 at the tail end of August with a September street date, though it looks like the company might make the iPhone 5 available a little bit later than that. According to confirmed information we have received from a reliable source at Canadian carrier Telus, Apple’s iPhone 5 looks to be touching down on October 1st in Canada. In the past, Apple has flip flopped between releasing its iconic smartphone in the U.S. first and then in Canada, or launching its smartphone simultaneously in the U.S. and Canada as it did with the iPhone 3GS. As such, it is currently unclear if Apple intends to launch the iPhone 5 in the U.S. and Canada at the same time or if we’re still looking at a September launch stateside, which we see as being likely. Hit the break for more.

We have seen seen an internal Telus document that lists October 1st as the launch date, and while the first could just be a place holder, we do not believe that is the case in this instance. The document lists additional launch dates that are not placeholders — several of the listed dates line up with what we’re hearing from other trusted sources. The thing is, October 1st is a Saturday and Apple has historically released iPhones on either a Thursday evening or a Friday. Our source has indicated to us that Saturdays are the busiest day of the week for wireless retail stores, of course, and the source does not believe a Saturday launch is unrealistic.

We have just been informed that as of February 15th, Telus in Canada will be offering SIM unlocking options on almost all handsets and devices. To qualify, you will need to be an active post-paid customer with an account that has been open for a minimum of 90 days. Telus will charge $50 for the unlock code and will unlock both iDEN and GSM devices. Not a bad offering, right?

Earlier today, HTC’s Desire HD crossed the FCC’s desk with a welcomed surprise, North American 3G bands. The 4.3-inch device — which boasts a 1GHz processor, 720p video recording, Android 2.2, and much more — is rocking WCDMA bands II and V, which makes AT&T, Bell, Telus, and Rogers all potential suitors.

Shortly after the news broke, a trusted BGR source came forward and stated that the device will definitely be hitting Canadian carrier Telus — an assertion blog Engadget also echoed. Our source indicated that they have physically seen a Telus branded Desire HD, running on Telus’ network, in the hands of a company representative. No word on when we could see this device officially come to market, but we’ll keep digging.

We’re happy for Telus customers and all, but wouldn’t this thing look extra sexy with a Death Star logo on it?

[Via Engadget]

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Dell is having a hard time getting its T-Mobile compliant Windows Phone 7 handset — the Venue Pro – shipped in time for the holidays, but that hasn’t stopped the company from sending at second iteration of the device to the FCC for approval. A Venue Pro sporting WCDMA bands II and V — AT&T’s 850MHz and 1900MHz 3G bands — has crossed the government agency’s desk. If you’re an AT&T, Bell, Rogers, or Telus customer, and fancy the vertical-sliding device, this is encouraging news. While FCC approval doesn’t guarantee a release, it is certainly a step in the right direction. Any customers of the aforementioned carriers interested in the Venue Pro?

[Via Engadget]

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Are you still reeling from last week’s Windows Phone 7 press event? Ballmer and Co. announced a staggering 10 handsets (and counting) right out of the gate, sporting their latest mobile OS. HTC, Samsung, Dell, LG among others, have pledged their alliance and announced handsets that will grace the world’s stage over the coming months. We have simplified things for our discerning readers, hit the jump for BGR’s definitive guide to Windows Phone 7 hardware.

HTC

HTC HD7

• 1 GHz Qualcomm QSD8250 CPU
• 4.3″ WVGA LCD, 480×800 resolution
• 512 MB ROM, 576 MB RAM
• Internal Storage: 8 GB in Europe and 16GB in Asia
• 5 MP camera, Auto-focus, dual LED
• 720 video recording
• Sensors: G-sensor, digital compass, proximity sensor, light sensor
• Connectivity: 3G 7.2 Mbps, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 (A2DP support)
• HTC Hub
• Input method: Touch screen only
• Unique Feature: Boasts the largest screen real estate amongst the WP7 handsets
• Carriers and Availability: The HTC HD7 will launch in the U.S. on the 8th of November on T-Mobile. For UK customers, the phone is currently available on O2

HTC Surround

• 1 GHz Qualcomm QSD8250 CPU
• 3.8″ WVGA LCD, 480×800 resolution
• 512 MB ROM, 576 MB RAM
• Internal Storage: 16 GB on-board
• 5 MP camera, Auto-focus, LED flash
• 720p HD video recording
• Sensors: G-sensor, digital compass, proximity sensor, light sensor
• Connectivity: 3G 7.2 Mbps, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 (A2DP support)
• HTC Hub
• Input method: Touch screen only
• Unique Feature: Slide-out integrated stereo speakers, Dolby Mobile and SRS surround sound
• Carriers and Availability: HTC Surround will be available on AT&T in the U.S., and Telus in Canada by the end of 2010

HTC 7 Mozart

• 1 GHz Qualcomm QSD8250 CPU
• 3.7″ WVGA LCD, 480×800 resolution
• 512 MB ROM, 576 MB RAM
• Internal Storage: 8 GB on-board
• 8 MP camera, Auto-focus, Xenon flash
• 720p HD video recording
• Sensors: G-sensor, digital compass, proximity sensor, light sensor
• Connectivity: 3G 7.2 Mbps, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 (A2DP support)
• HTC Hub
• Input method: Touch screen only
• Unique Feature: Best Camera in it’s class, brushed aluminium unibody construction, SRS ‘WOW HD’ sound and boasts a Xenon flash
• Carriers and Availability: Currently available to order on Orange UK

HTC 7 Trophy

• 1 GHz Qualcomm QSD8250 CPU
• 3.8″ WVGA LCD, 480×800 resolution
• 512 MB ROM, 576 MB RAM
• Internal Storage: 8 GB on-board
• 5 MP camera, Auto-focus, LED flash
• 720p HD video recording
• Sensors: G-sensor, digital compass, proximity sensor, light sensor
• Connectivity: 3G 7.2 Mbps, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 (A2DP support)
• HTC Hub
• Input method: Touch screen only
• Unique Feature: No-frills HTC WP7 handset
• Carriers and Availability: Coming soon to Orange, Vodafone and O2 in the UK

HTC 7 Pro

• 1 GHz Qualcomm QSD8250 CPU
• 3.6″ WVGA LCD, 480×800 resolution
• 512 MB ROM, 448 MB RAM
• Internal Storage: 8 GB on-board
• 5 MP camera, Auto-focus, LED flash
• 720p HD video recording
• Sensors: G-sensor, digital compass, proximity sensor, light sensor
• Connectivity: 3G 7.2 Mbps, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 (A2DP support)
• HTC Hub
• Input method: Touch screen and slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• Unique Feature: The only HTC WP7 phone to sport a physical QWERTY keyboard
• Carriers and Availability: First half of 2011 on Sprint

Samsung

Samsung Focus

• 1 GHz Qualcomm QSD8250 CPU
• 4.0″ Super AMOLED, 480×800 resolution
• 512 MB ROM, 512 MB RAM
• Internal Storage: 8 GB microSD, not hot swappable without a hard reset
• 5 MP camera, Auto-focus, LED flash
• 720p HD video recording (23fps)
• Sensors: G-sensor, digital compass, proximity sensor, light sensor
• Connectivity: 3G 7.2 Mbps, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 (A2DP support)
• Input method: Touch screen only
• Unique Feature: Vibrant screen, added camera functionality and front facing camera
• Carriers and Availability: U.S. exclusive, launching on November 8th on AT&T

Samsung Omnia 7

• 1 GHz Qualcomm QSD8250 CPU
• 4.0″ Super AMOLED, 480×800 resolution
• 512 MB ROM, 512 MB RAM
• Internal Storage: 8 GB microSD, not hot swappable without a hard reset
• 5 MP camera, Auto-focus, LED flash
• 720p HD video recording (25fps)
• Sensors: G-sensor, digital compass, proximity sensor, light sensor
• Connectivity: 3G 7.2 Mbps, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 (A2DP support)
• Input method: Touch screen only
• Unique Feature: Vibrant screen, added camera functionality and front facing camera
• Carriers and Availability: Currently available on Orange and 3 in the UK

Dell

Dell Venue Pro

• 1 GHz Qualcomm QSD8250 CPU
• 4.1″ WVGA AMOLED, 480×800 resolution
• Internal Storage: 8 GB microSD, not hot swappable without a hard reset
• 5 MP camera, Auto-focus, LED flash
• 720p HD video recording
• Sensors: G-sensor, digital compass, proximity sensor, light sensor
• Connectivity: 3G 7.2 Mbps, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 (A2DP support)
• Input method: Touch screen and hardware keyboard
• Unique Feature: Scratch-resistant screen (Corning Gorilla Glass), physical QWERTY keyboard
• Carriers and Availability: Available end of 2010 on T-Mobile U.S.

LG

LG Optimus 7 (E900)

• 1 GHz Qualcomm QSD8650 CPU
• 3.8″ WVGA LCD, 480×800 resolution
• Internal Storage: 16 GB
• 5 MP camera, Auto-focus, LED flash
• 720p HD video recording (24fps)
• Sensors: G-sensor, digital compass, proximity sensor, light sensor
• Connectivity: 3G 7.2 Mbps, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 (A2DP support)
• Input method: Touch screen
• Unique Feature: Wireless media transfer to DLNA DMR enabled devices
• Carriers and Availability: Coming to Telus (Canada) end of 2010, and currently available on Vodafone-UK

LG Quantum

• 1 GHz Qualcomm QSD8650 CPU
• 3.5″ WVGA LCD, 480×800 resolution
• Internal Storage: 16 GB
• 5 MP camera, Auto-focus, LED flash
• 720p HD video recording
• Sensors: G-sensor, digital compass, proximity sensor, light sensor
• Connectivity: 3G 7.2 Mbps, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 (A2DP support)
• Input method: Touch screen and physical QWERTY keyboard
• Unique Feature: Wireless media transfer to DLNA DMR enabled devices, and QWERTY keyboard
• Carriers and Availability: Coming to AT&T on the 8th of November

Are you planning on ditching your iDevice/BlackBerry/Android for a Windows Phone 7? If so, let us know which one you’re leaning toward — there are a lot of options!

Image credit: George Joseph

Following this mornings announcement by Rogers, Telus has announced that they too will be carrying the BlackBerry Torch 9800 on September 24th. Telus’ VP of Mobility and Solutions, Brent Jonston, had this to say: “Both business and consumer customers will get an incredible mobile experience from the new BlackBerry Torch smartphone. Telus is pleased to bring the BlackBerry Torch to Canadians, which will allow them to easily stay connected, entertained and informed wherever they are while running on our blazing fast 3G+ network.” No pricing was given in the press release, but $199 on a 3-year contract is a pretty safe bet.

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It looks like RIM is going to be sending the BlackBerry Torch 9800 up north and across the pond. The Globe and Mail is reporting that Canada’s three largest wireless carriers — Bell, Rogers, and Telus — all will be carrying RIM’s latest creation in the not-so-distant future. Rogers has officially confirmed the Globe’s report with a press release saying they will have the 9800 in the “coming weeks,” and Virgin Mobile — in true hipster fashion — tweeted about it. Vodafone U.K. also has a splash page up for the new BlackBerry touch-screen slider device. Anyone north of the border or across the pond have plans to pick one of these bad boys up?

Read [Vodafone] Read [Globe and Mail] Read [Rogers] Read [Virgin Mobile]

Canadians looking to score an unlocked iPhone on Friday may have to pay dearly for the carrier-free convenience being offered by Apple retail stores. According to CBC news, pricing for the unlocked version of the iPhone 4 will start at $659 — for the lower capacity 16 GB version — and climb up to $779 for the 32 GB version. If you can’t stomach the high cost of SIM-free ownership, you could always sell your soul and sign a contract with Bell, Telus, or Rogers when the handset makes its debut on July 30th.

Thanks to all who sent this in!

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Oh hai Canadian frandz! Cellular carrier Telus, from the Great White North, has announced that they will be carrying the iPhone 4 beginning on July 30th.  A little tip from your friends in the States: start looking for a good case now! You can “register your interest” in the iPhone 4 by hitting up our read link. Who’s excited?

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Telus announced the HTC Desire earlier this week and teased its Canadian customers by providing all the details on this hot Android handset except the launch date and pricing. Thankfully, some sleuthing by various sources has uncovered both inventory and potentially pricing information that point to an imminent launch of this handset. Uncovered in the source code of the Telus’ landing page for the HTC Desire is pricing information that suggests the Desire may debut at $499.95 for a one year agreement, $399.95 for a two year agreement, and $299.95 for a three year agreement. Don’t gasp at the prices and shun the phone as these figures may be placeholders and the actual prices may be lower at launch. Also indicative of an imminent launch is the appearance of the Desire in Telus’ internal inventory system. Internally, the pricing is set to the default $999.99 and no launch date is visible; but the Desire’s appearance in this database is a good sign. In general, most handsets launch shortly after they hit which makes that rumored August launch date look plausible.

[Via Mobile Syrup and PPC Geeks]Read

Good news for Koodo customers who have spare HSDPA phones lying around, as the Canadian carrier today announced that it is now fully supporting HSDPA handsets. Koodo, a value brand owned and operated by Telus, was launched in mid-2008. One of its main selling points is the “Tab” payment system. With the Tab, customers are able to get a new phone at a discounted rate and pay for it in monthly increments. When the balance is paid off, customers start earning a positive balance on their Tab which can be used towards the purchase of a new handset. Koodo didn’t single out any HSDPA devices in its press release, although for now it looks like the only HSDPA phone being offered is the Nokia 3710, which is priced at $25 on a Tab, or $125 outright.

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There’s good news today for Canadians who are looking to replace their ageing Nokia E71s, as it was officially announced that the Nokia E72 will be coming to Telus. The E72 builds upon the feature set of its predecessor with a 5 megapixel camera, optical trackpack, 600MHz processor and 10.2 Mbps HSDPA connectivity. Pricing and a release date were not announced, although our friend at Mobile Syrup have it on good authority that it will launch on July 11th, most likely for $50 on contract or $330 outright. Anyone thinking of picking one of these bad boys up?

Read [Nokia] Read [July 11th]

Here’s a shocker for you: Canadians really don’t like the nation’s Big Three wireless companies. This “revelation” comes to us by way of the Better Business Bureau, which revealed how many complaints it received about each carrier during an interview with the CBC. According to the watchdog, Bell has the dubious honor of being the worst offender with 1,020 complaints dating back to 2009. During the same period, Telus and Rogers received the second and third most complaints with 751 and 685 respectively. All of the complaints have earned each company an “F” rating. Wind, the feisty upstart backed by Egypt’s Orascom which official launched last December, also managed to tick off enough customers in its short existence to receive a failing grade. Despite their all around failing grades, the BBB said that the carriers are pretty good about working with the BBB to resolve complaints, even if the outcome isn’t desirable. The most common complaints involved bills being higher than their advertised price and contract disputes.

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We assure you that we’re not trying to stir up rumors with this one, but we’re starting to get the feeling that the Canadian launch of the iPhone 4 might have been pushed back. While checking out Apple’s Canadian website earlier on in the day, we couldn’t help but notice that “Coming in July” had been replaced with “Coming Soon.” There’s no way that Apple would change that unless something was up, and when you take into consideration the insane amount of pre-orders Apple received in the US alone, one’s mind does start to put one and two together. Keep in mind that Canada wasn’t deemed worthy to share a June 24th launch with the US, UK, Germany, France, and Japan. If you were Apple and your product was selling faster than you could make it, would you piss off everyone who put in a pre-order to sell a few units in a market that hasn’t been told a specific release date or been given the opportunity to buy the thing, or would you do your best to fulfill every outstanding order? It’s also interesting to note that the exact same thing happened to the iPad, and we all know how that turned out.

We’ve reached out to Apple Canada for comment.

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