12:28 PM
We’ve been informing you about the Nokia Lumia smartphone recently and last week told how a release date of April 24 had been leaked for T-Mobile. Although the phone didn’t arrive then we can now give you the confirmed news that the Nokia Lumia 521 will release as a T-Mobile exclusive on April 27 on the Home Shopping Network so interested purchasers have only one more day to wait.
The Nokia Lumia 521 is a Windows Phone 8 handset and when a potential customer recently tweeted T-Mobile to see if the phone would arrive on April 24 they received a reply to say it would release on April 27 on the Home Shopping Network. The phone will also be available sometime in May from other outlets such as Walmart, Microsoft retail stores and also T-Mobile retail.
Specs of the Lumia 521 include a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core processor, 4-inch display with resolution of 800 x 400, 512MB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD. It also has a 5-megapixel rear camera, a 1430 mAh battery and as said previously it runs on the Windows Phone 8 operating system.
Some of the features for the Lumia 521 include Cinemagraph, Creative Studio, HERE Drive, Maps, Panorama and Smart Shoot. Being a Nokia Lumia handset you won’t be surprised to hear that the phone comes in an array of color options. TmoNews gives a price of $149.95 for the Nokia Lumia 521 from the Home Shopping Network and this will also get you a bundled car charger and screen protector.
Nokia Lumia 810 on T-Mobile letdown, no LTE support after all.
There’s some rather disappointing news today if you are the owner of a Nokia Lumia 810 smartphone on T-Mobile USA. You may have been waiting to receive a software update that was intended to update the Lumia 810 with 4G LTE support, as T-Mobile stated back in February. However, we have just received news of a real letdown as the Nokia Lumia 810 will no longer be receiving that update.
Regular readers with good memories may recall that back in February we reported that T-Mobile executives had pledged a software update that would bring the Lumia 810 LTE connectivity. T-Mobile’s new LTE network was not live at that time but we all knew it was coming and T-Mobile was keen to let everyone know that it would have devices available that would be able to use the LTE network once they were needed. This was widely reported by various tech sites after confirmation from T-Mobile so this was in no way some pie-in-the-sky rumor.
We have just learned though from a T-Mobile statement that the Lumia 810 will definitely not receive the update now that would have enabled LTE connectivity. This will no doubt be a real blow to many Lumia 810 customers on T-Mobile as the phone is actually equipped with LTE hardware that just needed a software update to allow its use.
T-Mobile’s LTE network was recently switched on in 7 city regions and earlier this year the carrier said it planned to quickly expand to cover at least 100 million residents in the US by the middle of 2013. It seems odd then that now T-Mobile doesn’t have a single Windows Phone handset with LTE support. Of course some customers may have purchased the Lumia 810 before the announcement of a software update but there may also be many customers who purchased it on the understanding that it would become LTE-enabled for T-Mobile’s new network.
It all seems rather bizarre and even up to last week we still thought the software update for the Lumia 810 was coming. However the rather short and terse statement from T-Mobile makes it quite clear that the update has been cancelled but doesn’t actually give any reasons why this is so. We think this is a pretty poor show and we’re sure that plenty of readers will agree.
We hear from Engadget that they have reached out to T-Mobile asking if any concessions will be offered to those who purchased the Lumia 810 in good faith with the belief that it would at some point be able to be used on T-Mobiles LTE network. However at this point it seems that T-Mobile has not responded. We’d really like to hear your views on this piece of news.
12:25 PM
The Sony Xperia Z has been a popular smartphone in regions where it has been released. It combines sleek styling with some top-notch specs and it has the added advantages of being both water-resistant and dust-resistant. If you’re a T-Mobile USA customer then it looks as though this flagship device could soon be coming your way.
Although there is no confirmation yet that T-Mobile will offer this phone stateside there are reports that the carrier is currently testing this device. Obviously T-Mobile would not be bothering to test the Xperia Z if it had no interest in carrying it and if the tests go well then there’s no reason to think T-Mobile will not announce it will be offering the Xperia Z soon.
The image above purports to be the Sony Xperia Z with T-Mobile branding so testing could be some way along. However we cannot verify the validity of the photo and so urge readers to take this news with a pinch of salt for now. If the Xperia Z does come to T-Mobile USA though then you could soon be taking advantage of its 1.5GHz Snapdragon quad-core processor, 5-inch full HD display, 2GB of RAM, 13-megapixel rear camera and 2330 mAh battery all running on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
If T-Mobile offers the Xperia Z then likely pricing would be one payment of $99 followed by approximate $20 monthly payments over 2 years, which seems to be the price for most high-end smartphones under T-Mobile’s new pricing system. We’ll be following developments on the Xperia Z heading to T-Mobile and will bring you further news as we hear it.
Sony Xperia Z launched in style at London event.
It was such as shame we missed the Sony Xperia Z event in London, looks like we missed a good night. The highly acclaimed Xperia Z launched in style on Tuesday at an exclusive Sony event held in London to celebrate the new flagship, water-resistant superphone.
The multi-award winning Sony Xperia Z wowed guests with its 13-megapixel fast-capture camera, which attendees used to capture and share images of each other throughout the night. Guests also leaped into a ball pit of hundreds of transparent spheres lit with LED lights to demonstrate the Burst Mode function, and action shots were captured by photographers in high definition.
At an event only Sony could have created, international star, Madeon, DJed an electrifying set where his innovative sound met explosive colour. The performance featured remixes from the artist, alongside an incredible visual spectacle. The venue came alive as robot arms, controlled by Madeon, poured vivid paint on installations, which combined with special lighting effects and lasers, created an eruption of colour that complimented this one-off performance. The never-seen-before tech installation created rich detailed visuals that emerged throughout the night and were captured by the superior camera, reflecting key elements of the handset’s Holi Festival-based ad campaign.
The extended Xperia range was also showcased with interactive product displays highlighting the premium Xperia HD experiences. Guests previewed other latest handsets including the newly announced Xperia SP and Xperia L. The new Xperia Tablet Z, which won 10 awards at Mobile World Congress and is currently the thinnest and lightest LTE tablet on the market, was demoed throughout the event and guests were able to view pictures of the event on the Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 screens.
HTC One vs Sony Xperia Z vs Galaxy S4 in Android shootout.
The Android platform has some pretty tasty high-end smartphones becoming available at the moment, and today we are comparing the HTC One vs. Sony Xperia Z vs. Galaxy S4 in an Android shootout.
We have run comparisons on these handsets before but not with all three together at the same time that are currently the must have devices in the top end of the Android market, with each of them having their own merits in being regarded as the best smartphone available to consumers.
Display
The HTC One has the smallest of the three displays with a 4.7-inch Full HD touchscreen display that offers users an impressive 469ppi pixel density, while the Sony Xperia Z is using a 5-inch Full HD display with a pixel density of 441ppi. The Samsung Galaxy S4 also has a 5-inch Full HD display with 441ppi.
Processor and Power
Under the hood of the Sony Xperia Z is a Qualcomm quad core Krait processor clocked at 1.5GHz along with 2GB of RAM, while the HTC One has the quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor clocked at 1.7GHz with 2GB of RAM. The Samsung Galaxy S4 comes in two versions depending on the region with one getting the Samsung Exynos 5 Octa processor running at 1.6GHz, or the quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 at 1.9GHz with both versions having 2GB of RAM.
Storage
The HTC One will be available with either 32GB or 64GB storage options that can’t be expanded further, while the Sony only has 16GB on board but this can be expanded by a further 32GB via microSD card. Samsung has always been good for storage options on its smartphones with the device coming in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB options while each of them can be expanded by a further 64GB via a microSD card.
Cameras
Sony has fitted a 13.1-megapixel unit on the back with autofocus and LED flash, which is capable of Full HD video capture at 30fps and on the front is a 2.2-megapixel camera that also supports 1080p video capture. The HTC One has an UltraPixel unit with a 4-megapixel sensor that is capable if 1080p video recording, while around the front you will find a 2.1-megapixel shooter. Samsung has provided a 13-megapixel unit on the back that is 1080p along with the 2-megapixel front facer that is also capable of 1080p video capture at 30fps, and users will be able to use both cameras at once along with a whole host of new features Samsung has bundled on the device.
Dimensions
The Samsung measures in at 136.6mm x 69.8mm x 7.9mm weighing 130grams, while the Sony Xperia Z comes in at 139mm x 71mm x 7.9mm at 146grams. The HTC One on the other hand measures 137.4mm x 68.2mm x 9.3mm weighing 143grams.
Operating System
The Galaxy S4 will be released this week running the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS straight out of the box, while the HTC One is currently on Android 4.1.2 but will obviously see an update to the later version of Jelly Bean at some point, which is the same situation for the Sony Xperia Z.
12:18 PM
The flagship HTC One smartphone is already wowing customers in regions where it has seen a release. If you’re a T-Mobile customer in the US and eager to get your hands on this phone then here’s some news that you should find satisfying as the carrier has confirmed that the HTC One will be available on April 24.
There’s only one more week to go then and although pricing has not yet been confirmed we told readers previously that the price is expected to be $99.99 upfront on the new Simple Choice Plans, followed by 24 monthly payments of $20. This plan enables the user to change to another carrier if desired.
The HTC One on T-Mobile will also have LTE connectivity and will also offer Wi-Fi calling. It will join other phones compatible with T-Mobiles blossoming LTE network such as the iPhone 5, Samung Galaxy 4 and BlackBerry Z10 and T-Mobile made the date official by announcing it on Twitter.
A quick reminder of specs for the HTC One reveals a 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, 4.7-inch Super LCD3 display with resolution of 1920 x 1080, 2GB of RAM and 32 or 64GB of internal storage (non-expandable). It also has the UltraPixel rear camera with 1080p video capture, 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera and runs on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, upgradable to 4.2.2.
HTC One gets early US sales release.
There are many consumers eagerly awaiting the arrival of the HTC One in the US with the device only days away from being available, but now news reaches us that there has been some HTC One early US release sales for the device.
It seems that some AT&T stores in the US have got confused with the launch of the HTC First device that was due to be released officially yesterday, as there has been a number of reports from customers saying they managed to pick up the HTC One instead.
As it is being reported by the Android Community a number of the carriers stores were offering the handset freely to customers with some laying down the cash for the handset and walking out with a shiny new HTC One in their hands.
It seems that it is mainly customers that have already pre-ordered the device but it wasn’t expected to be released until next week, April 19th. The reports state that there was more than a few units of the HTC One available, and it may be a way to counter the offer from Sprint that is offering the smartphone at a discount for customers moving across from rival carriers.
The device is proving to be extremely popular and rightly so as for the first time in a while HTC looks to have a winning device on their hands, which should possibly return the company to its former glories on the Android platform.
12:13 PM
The BlackBerry Q10 smartphone will be releasing shortly in various worldwide regions and is a handset that should garner a lot of attention. This is the first smartphone running on the new BlackBerry 10 OS that features the traditional QWERTY keyboard so favored by many BlackBerry enthusiasts. We can now tell you that pre-orders for the device will begin at T-Mobile USA in the next few days.
The BlackBerry Q10 is set to release from the weekend in the UK and in Canada from May 1 but no firm release date has yet been set for the phone in the US. However, T-Mobile has now announced pre-orders for business customers will be available from April 29 although still has not revealed pricing or an exact release date. The company says in its press release though that this will be supplied at a later date.
The BlackBerry Q10 is powered by a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Plus dual-core processor, has a 3.1-inch Super AMOLED display, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, expandable with microSD. There’s also an 8-megapixel rear camera, LTE, NFC and a 2100 mAh battery.
Previously it was expected that the Q10 may launch on T-Mobile at some point in May and we recently told how BlackBerry has cited an end of May estimate for the US release. Hopefully then the phone will arrive next month as anticipated.
The love for the BlackBerry Z10 is growing and it has now been confirmed that this new BB10 OS smartphone will be available to pre-order March 11th for T-Mobile Business customers, so get your diaries out and mark this date down if you are a business user on the T-Mobile USA network.
We reported 4 days ago that the BlackBerry Z10 touchscreen smartphone would be released to T-Mobile USA business users first, and now we can reveal thanks to Engadget that this handset will cost $249.99 on a two-year Classic plan. We have no idea at the moment when the BB Z10 will be available for the general public in the U.S, but as soon as we know we will let all T-Mobile users know.
Even though the BlackBerry Z10 device will be up for pre-order on March 11 for T-Mobile Business users, we are being told that they could expect delivery by the end of next week, which is good news for those waiting.
No longer called RIM, BlackBerry is already selling the Z10 in more than 20 countries; it is just a shame that our friends in the U.S have to wait a little longer. AT&T and Verizon Wireless are both keeping tight-lipped on when they will release the BlackBerry Z10.
12:10 PM
There’s good news today for T-Mobile customers waiting for its release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 as it’s all systems go for a May 1 release date on the US carrier. This means that unlike previous Galaxy S launches those in the US won’t have to wait until months later to get their hands on this much-awaited smartphone.
T-Mobile is the first of the major US carriers to announce availability of the Galaxy S4 and previously Samsung announced it would release in some world regions in late April. The earliest release date we’ve seen so far is April 25 for the UK so the phone will be stateside only a few days after the initial release. This will no doubt be music to the ears for many potential US Galaxy S4 customers who have become tired of waiting for the latest Galaxy S phone in previous years.
T-Mobile announced the release of the Galaxy S4 at the company’s UNCarrier event and as well as the release date also included the Galaxy S4 on its lists of LTE phones, especially relevant as this week its LTE network went live in the first 7 cities. However T-Mobile has not yet announced pricing for the Galaxy S4 although yesterday it did state the price for the iPhone 5 on its new plans.
The iPhone 5, HTC One and BlackBerry Z10 will all be available on T-Mobile for an initial down payment of $99 with a monthly plan costing $20 for 24 months so it looks pretty likely that the Samsung Galaxy S4 will launch with the same pricing. The phone will be locked though until the phone is paid off.
US Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini Axiom & Exhibit Jelly Bean update latest.
News of operating system updates for smartphones and tablets continues to flood in and at the moment it’s all about Android Jelly Bean, still arriving in various forms to various devices. Now we have heard promising news about the Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 update for the US Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini versions, the Samsung Galaxy Axiom and Samsung Galaxy Exhibit.
Although the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini was the phone’s name in many regions of the world, in the US two carriers took on this smartphone. T-Mobile’s version was called the Samsung Galaxy Exhibit while the US Cellular variant was dubbed the Samsung Galaxy Axiom. The best news so far is for those who have the Samsung Galaxy Axiom on US Cellular as Jelly Bean 4.1.2 has already begun rolling out in the last couple of days.
Jelly Bean for the Galaxy Axiom has been issued as an OTA (over-the-air) update or is available through Samsung Kies but similarly to the Galaxy S3 update to 4.1.2 in the US the update lacks Samsung’s Premium Suite, which may disappoint some. However there are plenty of other improvements and changes to make this update well worthwhile such as Google Now, Project butter, improved browser, multitasking and more so we’d urge readers to go ahead with the update to receive these advantages.
If you have the Samsung Galaxy Axiom and want to check for the update then head to Settings to find out. This is a good-sized update so you’ll need your phone to be connected to Wi-Fi before you begin so it doesn’t give up the ghost half way through. This may well be the last update that the Axiom receives though as it’s not clear whether it will receive a further update to Jelly Bean 4.2 and of course Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie is scheduled to arrive in the summer.
For Samsung Galaxy Exhibit owners on T-Mobile we have not yet heard that the Jelly Bean update has begun to rollout for their device yet. However, as it has now arrived for the Axiom it seems a good indicator and highly likely that the update will also come to the Galaxy Exhibit in the near future. You may have to be patient for a while longer but the signs are there.
12:02 PM
At last T-Mobile will be selling the iPhone 5, 4S and the iPhone 4 in USA, the iPhone 5 will go on sale from Friday, April 12th. John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile USA said that customers can now get the iPhone without all the pain other carriers put them through, this is a strong statement but one he feels strongly about.
The iPhone 5 will be available on T-Mobile’s 4G network and today the official press release states that the 4G LTE service has launched in seven major metropolitan areas.
The T-Mobile iPhone 5 will cost $99.99 for qualifying customers plus a monthly contract with competitive consumer rate plans, there will be the Simple Choice Plan at only $50 per month for unlimited talk, and for this monthly price customers will receive text and Web with 500MB of 4G data, 2GB of 4G data for $10 per month per line or get unlimited 4G data for an additional $20 per month per line. If customers wish to add a second line then they need only pay $30 per month with each individual line costing just $10 per month.
There will also be several free premium benefits and these include HD voice, Mobile HotSpot for on-the-go tethering Internet access offering 500MB of 4G data for tethering and Talk and surf at the same time.
T-Mobile iPhone Prices
The iPhone 5 price of $99.99 upfront with 24-month contract at $20 per month on the T-Mobile’s Simple Choice Plan, customers can also get their hands on the iPhone 4S on the Simple Choice Plan for $69.99 down and $20 per month for 24 months. The iPhone 4 will cost $14.99 for the handset and $15 per month for 24 months.
T-Mobile iPhone availability reportedly nears: Update.
When Apple first made the iPhone available it was made exclusive to certain carriers in both the US and the United Kingdom, but things have moved on and most major carriers now carry the device for their customers to purchase. This is not the case for T-Mobile in the US but the availability of the iPhone is reportedly getting closer.
The carrier is holding an event today to showcase its ‘Uncarrier’ plans and a source close to these plans is suggesting that the iPhone will be playing a big part at the event. The handset has long been the Holy Grail for the carrier as many subscribers have been leaving the company to get the handset elsewhere, but things look to be finally changing.
It will be used as the main handset for the new service from T-Mobile where customers can get a new smartphone with no new contract, and instead the customer pays an upfront fee with a monthly charge along with the usual service plan.
The carrier has been haemorrhaging customers that want to own the Apple iPhone, and the iPhone 5 along with the Galaxy Note 2 and BlackBerry Z10 will be used to showcase the carriers 4G LTE network.
It is not known if the carrier will announce availability or pricing for the smartphone at the event, but at least it seems that customers of the carrier will soon have access to the device and won’t have to look at alternative options.
11:59 AM
There are plenty of T-Mobile USA customers waiting for its LTE networks to go live and today we have leaked news for you of launch markets where this will finally happen in only a few days time, on March 26. Although there will be limited amounts of customers who have devices that will be compatible straight away, we can imagine this will lead to a rush of customers now seeking out an LTE-compatible phone for T-Mobile. Read on for further details.
LTE (Long Term Evolution) will give users faster data speeds and a leaked document shows the following cities where LTE will go live on Tuesday, March 26; Baltimore, Houston, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Jose, and Washington DC. However we should point out that not all towers in each city will be upgraded simultaneously so LTE may not be available right across each city at first.
Recently we told about an update being pushed out to the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 on T-Mobile that would enable its use with LTE so hopefully owners will all have received that update by Tuesday. Once owners receive this update their devices will be able to use LTE.
Other devices that will be available from T-Mobile in time for the LTE launch are the BlackBerry Z10 and the T-Mobile Sonic 2.0 and of course more and more devices will be arriving shortly such as the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One. We’ll remind you that this news of launch cities is so far unconfirmed but does come from an often-reliable source.
There are plenty of T-Mobile USA customers waiting for its LTE networks to go live and today we have leaked news for you of launch markets where this will finally happen in only a few days time, on March 26. Although there will be limited amounts of customers who have devices that will be compatible straight away, we can imagine this will lead to a rush of customers now seeking out an LTE-compatible phone for T-Mobile. Read on for further details.
LTE (Long Term Evolution) will give users faster data speeds and a leaked document shows the following cities where LTE will go live on Tuesday, March 26; Baltimore, Houston, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Jose, and Washington DC. However we should point out that not all towers in each city will be upgraded simultaneously so LTE may not be available right across each city at first.
Recently we told about an update being pushed out to the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 on T-Mobile that would enable its use with LTE so hopefully owners will all have received that update by Tuesday. Once owners receive this update their devices will be able to use LTE.
Other devices that will be available from T-Mobile in time for the LTE launch are the BlackBerry Z10 and the T-Mobile Sonic 2.0 and of course more and more devices will be arriving shortly such as the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One. We’ll remind you that this news of launch cities is so far unconfirmed but does come from an often-reliable source.
11:54 AM
The love for the BlackBerry Z10 is growing and it has now been confirmed that this new BB10 OS smartphone will be available to pre-order March 11th for T-Mobile Business customers, so get your diaries out and mark this date down if you are a business user on the T-Mobile USA network.
We reported 4 days ago that the BlackBerry Z10 touchscreen smartphone would be released to T-Mobile USA business users first, and now we can reveal thanks to Engadget that this handset will cost $249.99 on a two-year Classic plan. We have no idea at the moment when the BB Z10 will be available for the general public in the U.S, but as soon as we know we will let all T-Mobile users know.
Even though the BlackBerry Z10 device will be up for pre-order on March 11 for T-Mobile Business users, we are being told that they could expect delivery by the end of next week, which is good news for those waiting.
No longer called RIM, BlackBerry is already selling the Z10 in more than 20 countries; it is just a shame that our friends in the U.S have to wait a little longer. AT&T and Verizon Wireless are both keeping tight-lipped on when they will release the BlackBerry Z10.
BlackBerry Z10 T-Mobile launch date, business users get first dibs.
At the end of January the world was introduced to the new BlackBerry 10 operating system, which is the company’s attempt to turn around its flagging fortunes and sliding sales. The early response to the new OS has been pretty positive so far, but the real test will come when the platform launches in the US in a few days time. It seems the BlackBerry Z10 on T-Mobile will launch for business users ahead of personal customers.
The company has begun the push with the new BB10 OS with the BlackBerry Z10 smartphone that is due to be released in the US this month, but according to N4BB on T-Mobile it will be business users that will be getting access to the handset first.
The handset will be available to pre-order from March 11th with deliveries expected to arrive shortly afterwards on the 13th, while personal users will have to wait until March 27th to get access to the device.
BlackBerry in the past relied on business users as their main source of income until the Apple iPhone came along and started to take customers away, and the BlackBerry platform mainly become the play thing for teenagers with its BBM messaging service remaining popular.
Things could be improving for the better for the company as it continues to update the OS and more hardware becomes available in the future, and winning back business customers will be an important part of this comeback.
BlackBerry Z10 US customers not forgotten.
The BlackBerry Z10 smartphone was always going to attract a lot of interest as it’s the first device to launch running the all-new BlackBerry operating system, BB10. The Z10 is already on sale in the UK and Canada but US customers are still waiting patiently to get their hands on this notable smartphone. It is due for a release in the US in March and we’d just like to let potential BlackBerry Z10 US customers know that they haven’t been forgotten.
When the BlackBerry Z10 was officially announced BlackBerry informed that it would be a bit later to hit stateside, giving a launch date of mid to late March. It will be available on multiple US carriers and we’ve recently seen some promising signs that it’s still on target for that March release as we told how the Verizon variant had passed through the FCC and then just two days ago how some Verizon Z10 photos had come to light.
There is still no definite date for availability on US carriers but some waiting customers may be pleased to learn that BlackBerry has acknowledged the fact that they are still waiting and maybe in a bid to reassure those customers the company has tweeted from its official account. Yesterday BlackBerry tweeted, “From East Coast to West, BlackBerry 10 will be available across the U.S. in a few short weeks.” This sounds as though the mid to late March timeframe is still very much on then and at least potential customers can be more confident that they haven’t been overlooked.
As well as this a link to a landing page was provided so that if you’re in the US you can register for Z10 updates for AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile and be kept in the loop with the latest developments. Simply click on the carrier names in this paragraph to be taken straight to the relevant pages.
11:49 AM
There are still a number of smartphone users that like to use a physical QWERTY keyboard, but trouble is away from BlackBerry handsets that feature this, they are few and far between with slide-out handsets almost nonexistent. Today we have news of the continuing mystery surrounding the T-Mobile Alcatel Sparq II slider.
It seems that T-Mobile in the US are planning a sequel to the Alcatel Sparq as the new device has recently stopped by the Federal Communication Commission. The handset features a slide out QWERTY keyboard that will allow users to send emails or text messages easier, and is fully compatible with the carrier’s network bands.
Trouble is despite the handset appearing at the FCC there is still no information regarding the handsets full specs or features. What is known via the handsets manual that was filed with the FCC is that it will come with a FM radio, microSD card port for storage expansion, and an integrated web browser.
The handset should include a rear facing camera teamed up with a flash, and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, but obviously at the time of writing there is no information regarding the other specs, prices or release dates for the Alcatel Sparq II.
US-based carrier T-Mobile plans to add a sequel to the Alcatel Sparq messaging phone to its portfolio. The device has been recently spotted at Federal Communication Commission (FCC).
Dubbed Alcatel Sparq II, the handset sports a slide-out QWERTY keyboard for easier texting. According to Phonescoop, the feature-phone is fully compatible with T-Mobile’s network bands, so the release of the device is imminent.Unfortunately, little is known about the slider’s specs sheet, though we should expect the Sparq II to feature a main camera with flash, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
The phone’s manual, which is included in the document filed at FCC, mentions the handset will come with FM Radio, integrated web browser, media player and microSD card slot for memory expansion.There are no details on the phone’s pricing options and exact release date yet, but more info is likely to surface in the next few weeks so stay tuned for more updates on the matter.
11:45 AM
If you are after the latest modern smartphone you will have to expect to pay a premium price for the device even if its via a mobile carriers two year contract. Although if you can wait a few months we often see prices come down with some good deals to be had, and now the Verizon HTC Droid DNA joins the T-Mobile Nexus 4 in the sub $50 club.
Last week we told you about the offer US carrier T-Mobile is offering on the Nexus 4, which can be had for only $49.99 after a $50 mail in rebate. This offer still has five days to go and ends on the February 18th, but if the LG Nexus 4 is not your thing how about the HTC Droid DNA?
At the time of writing online retailer Wirefly will sell you that handset for the same $49.99 price that even includes shipping. This offer is only open to new customers that agree to a new two year contract on Verizon Wireless, which will surely tempt many.
For your money you get a device that features a Full HD 5-inch display with 441ppi pixel density powered by a quad core processor clocked at 1.5GHz. Other features include 16GB of non-expandable memory, 2GB of RAM, 8 megapixel rear camera, and a 2.1 megapixel front facing shooter.
Nexus 4 on T-Mobile now free, need to be quick.
Since the handset was first released most of the news about the Nexus 4 has been about the lack of availability of the device via the Google Play Store, but the smartphone has been available via a number of carriers although with a two year contract, and now the Nexus 4 is available free on T-Mobile but you need to be quick.
A while ago T-Mobile were offering the Nexus 4 for only $50 after a mail in rebate, and now the carrier has gone further by offering the handset free of charge after another mail in rebate. There is one catch though as the offer is only available this weekend so will end tomorrow.
Obviously this is on condition of a new two year contract being agreed too, so consumers will still be better off if they can afford to pay the price on Google Play to get hold of the handset outright, but not everyone can afford to splash out that amount of cash in one go.
The offer from T-Mobile is an online only deal and will still need an initial $50 paid out on the day of purchase before you get a mail-in rebate card, so will eventually become free. You will still get the same Android 4.2 Jelly Bean running smartphone that has a 4.7-inch touchscreen display powered by a quad core processor clocked at 1.5GHZ.
Nexus 4 Lets Talk savings on T-Mobile with slight catch.
Lets Talk is offering the LG Nexus 4 on the T-Mobile network for only $84.99, now we said that there is a slight catch and that is simply down to being a new T-Mobile customer. This Nexus 4 on T-Mobile is the lowest price we have ever seen, current customers looking into adding a new line or new customers can get in on this amazing deal.
If you are an existing T-Mobile customer (Individual Account) who wishes to upgrade you will have to pay $154.99, but if you are a new T-Mobile Individual Account customer it is only $84.99 and the same goes for current customers looking into adding a new line like we said above.
Thanks to Droid Life they have found a coupon code “TALK4TEN” that you can just pop in when you are at the checkout and this will knock $8.50 off the price leaving a final payment of $76.49 on contract.
Lets Talk also show that they will deliver the Nexus 4 overnight for free, personally we say go and buy the Nexus 4 by LG via the Google Play Store, if you want the phone on its own without contract via Lets Talk it will cost $549.99. Even though the deal above is cheap you still have to pay for the phone and then have a contract to contend with.
11:40 AM
T-Mobile US customers have been privy to the Samsung Galaxy S3 (S III) for some time but it seems the release of the Galaxy S3 LTE variant for T-Mobile is now edging closer. Last month T-Mobile announced that a new version of the Galaxy S3 with LTE would become available on the carrier. This would be enabled by a software update and the word is that it could launch on either March 27 or April 3.
This will be good news for many potential customers of the LTE variant of the Galaxy S3 on T-Mobile. However we wonder how customers will feel who have already purchased the standard Galaxy S3 model for T-Mobile and who will need the newer variant to benefit from LTE connectivity once the T-Mobile LTE network goes live in the next few weeks.
A T-Mobile roadmap has now been revealed and shows the Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE (T999L), unusually listed with two different launch dates as above. March 27 could be particularly busy for T-Mobile as other phones shown with a release for that day include the Samsung Galaxy Exhibit (T-Mobile’s Galaxy S3 Mini) in Pebble Gray, both prepaid and postpaid options.
As well as this the much-anticipated BlackBerry Z10 is also listed with the same March 27 launch date, the first phone to release running the brand new BlackBerry 10 operating system. No details of pricing for the Galaxy S3 LTE on T-Mobile are available yet but specs include a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core processor, a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display with resolution of 1280 x 720, an 8-megapixel rear camera and 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera.
Throw in LTE data connectivity! 4G has finally arrived in the UK, bringing data speeds far in excess of the old 3G technology, and the Galaxy S3 LTE is at the forefront of the new range of 4G enabled devices.
Not content with just adding advanced mobile data technology, Samsung have also enhanced both the hardware and software of the Galaxy S3 LTE. It runs the latest version of Android, 4.1 or 'Jelly Bean', right out of the box, and the RAM of the device has been upgraded to a whopping 2 GB.
Of course, the S3 LTE also has all the features that made the original S3 so wildly popular: there's the superior camera quality, 1.4 GHz quad-core processor, and Samsung's intuitive and innovative TouchWiz user interface, among many other cutting-edge features. If you're looking for a top-of-the-range 4G superphone, this might just be the one.
11:36 AM
There was much disappointment among Windows Phone users when Microsoft confirmed that only new hardware would be able to run on the WP8 operating system when it was released. It then promised current users that they would not be forgotten and would see their handsets receive updates in the future. Now though we have some bad news for T-Mobile users as the Nokia Lumia 710 will not be getting the WP 7.8 update.
As expected the Windows Phone 7.8 update has begun rolling out to end users, but there have already been some issues with the new firmware though. First we heard that the new OS could cause users to see higher data use and battery drain, which was then followed by issues affecting the Nokia Lumia 800.
It seems though that T-Mobile customers that own the Nokia Lumia 710 won’t be suffering from any issues with bugs on the new OS, as they are being passed over and will not receive it in the first place. An owner of the device decided to email Nokia about the WP7.8 update and the reply didn’t make for good reading with regards to owners of the handset.
According to Nokia a small number of carriers have decided not to offer the new firmware to their customers, and has led some to believe the cost was not seen as worthwhile by the carrier. There is hope that T-Mobile will change their minds in the future but for the time being it has stated the handset will not be treated to the new software.
This news will be a further kick in the teeth for owners of the handset on the carrier, which have to already make do without ever getting the chance to see WP8 on their smartphone. Source: WPCentral and Ubergizmo.
It has been released in Brazil and some Western European and Asian countries.On 14 December 2011, T-Mobile and Nokia officially announced their plan to sell the Lumia 710 from 11 January 2012, for $349.99 prepaid or $49.99 with a 2 year contract with minimum of $60 per month plan and $35 per line activation fee. At CES 2012, Nokia announced that Rogers would have exclusivity for the Lumia 710 in Canada. The phone, alongside the Nokia Lumia 800, is promised to get an update to add wi-fi hotspot capabilities.
On February 25, 2013, the Nokia Lumia 720, the successor of the Nokia Lumia 710, was presented. The improvements are Windows Phone 8, dual-core 1 GHz Qualcomm S4 chipset, a front-facing VGA camera, a bigger 4.2 in display, a bigger 2000 mAh battery and support for up to 64GB microSD cards.
The Windows Phone market place contains a Nokia Collection section. As of April 2012, it contains the following additional applications: Nokia Transport, a location aver public transport schedule and navigation application, Creative Studio, a photo editing application, TuneIn Radio, a local and global radio streaming application, CNN, a news reader and video viewer for then CNN news network, WRC Live, an application to follow live timing and media from the FIA WRC series.
11:30 AM
If you own the Samsung Galaxy S3 AT&T I747 or T-Mobile T999 you will be happy to know that the AOKP Team has released the brand new AOKP JB 4.2.1 Build 2 aka JB-MR1 custom ROM. You must make sure that you have either the branded AT&T or T-Mobile handsets for this download to work, this is based on Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean ROM.
Many Android users are well aware that AOKP is a very well used Custom ROM, the new AOKP JB-MR1 Build 2 ROM is still being worked on and still in its development stages so could contain a few issues and bugs, as it progresses it will be fully functional but so far no reports of any problems at all.
This ROM is very new and was released today and contains many features, within the General UI goodies include custom boot animation, custom carrier label, notification background, statusbar brightness slider, recents RAM Bar & Kill All button, Power menu options as well as Boot animation picker enhancements and Colorable clock views/widgets.
Lockscreen – Customizable text color, Volume wake & music controls, Allow any kind & unlimited number of widgets (new), Option to hide initial page hints, Start lockscreen with minimized challenge, Longpress on minimized challenge to unlock, and Carousel animation.
Statusbar – Battery indicator styles, Clock styles, Signal styles, new Statusbar transparency, Customizable Statusbar Toggles (new, based on Google’s tiles), Alternative signal layout (GB-style), New toggle: Sound state (ring/vib/silent) and Mobile technology indicator reflects internet connection status.
Navigation Bar – Fully customizable NavBar (buttons, color, transparency, widgets, etc.), new Menu arrow keys while typing, Customizable NavBar Ring, Colorable NavBar background and Recents menu opens with lightning speed.
Sound Settings – Less frequent notification sounds, Headphone action, BT connect action, Flip action, Quiet Hours (CM) and new Disable safe headset volume warning.
Other features included in this ROM – Camera Powerkey shutter, Call statistics – Phone app / local menu, Custom Vibrations, LED Control, NFC Polling modes, and Themes support .
Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini variant for T-Mobile is Galaxy Exhibit.
There’s good news today for fans of the Samsung Galaxy S3 mini smartphone with news that T-Mobile USA is about to carry the phone, although its variant is dubbed the Galaxy Exhibit. The S3 mini is a smaller version of the Galaxy S3 as you would expect and although not being quite on a par specs-wise it has proven very popular. Customers of T-Mobile in the US then, may very happily welcome the Galaxy Exhibit despite its confusing moniker.
Other handsets with very similar names that have previously relelased are the Samsung Galaxy Exhibit 4G, the Samsung Exhibit 4G and Samsung Exhibit II so it does seem very odd indeed to see T-Mobile and Samsung using such a similar name for the carrier’s version of the Samsung Galaxy 3 mini. Nevertheless it is what it is and if we put the name aside for one moment we can imagine that it will achieve a fair amount of sales for T-Mobile.
The Samsung Galaxy Exhibit (model number SGH-T599) is in Pebble Gray and is the second carrier variant of the Galaxy S3 mini to hit the US, following the Galaxy Axiom for US Cellular. The Galaxy Exhibit is due for release in Q1 this year and the Galaxy S3 mini specs include a 1GHz dual-core processor, 4-inch display with resolution of 800 x 480, 1GB of RAM and 8 or 16GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD to 32GB.
It also has a 5-megapixel rear camera with 720p video capture and VGA front-facing camera, runs the Android Jelly Bean operating system and has a 1500 mAh battery. As far as we know the Galaxy Exhibit variant of the Galaxy S3 mini will have the same specs although sometimes carrier variants differ slightly. Hopefully it won’t be too much longer before we hear details of availability and price for T-Mobile USA.
11:27 AM
It seems the LG Nexus 4 hype continues and this has started heated discussions from around the world, is this smartphone really the one worth waiting for? Personally there are many other smartphones out there that are just as good if not better, but we will converse a few things that our readers have hit on and what they think about the Nexus 4 and all the excitement.
On Saturday 28th we reported some appealing news about the Nexus 4 and further disappointment for US with a little twist to boot, it seems that this handset is very hard to own. Many consumers would rather buy the Nexus 4 via Google Play and that is understandable because they was selling outright for only £239 ($376) for the 8GB model, we say “Was’ because they are still out of stock. The news we provided Saturday was mainly about T-Mobile US having the handset in stock and then they were out of stock, but it seems on the T-Mobile website they are back in stock again.
The downside to buying elsewhere rather than Google Play is the money difference, with Google Play you can buy the Nexus 4 outright, buy direct from the likes of T-Mobile and you will have to go the contract route, which is not cheap at all. We can see over on T-Mobile that the cheapest option is the ‘Classic 500 Minute / Talk’ and this will set you back $39.99 per month, add that up over one year is a staggering $479.88 but times that by two because they are on a 2 year agreement and you will pay $959.76, ouch is what we say here, it makes sense to wait for Google Play to get more stock in.
Now we move onto the Nexus 4 hype train, what is all the hype about? We have had many comments fly in over the last few months and we really want to share them on a wider scale so that you can answer them right here, instead of looking at our multiple articles that we have published.
One reader mentioned – “What is all this hype about?” The reader said that they purchased the Nexus 4 after owning the Galaxy Nexus, and said it is a great handset that is faster as well as having a better camera, but it is not exactly and God send. They also mentioned that the Nexus 4 is not like going from the Motorola’s RAZR to the Original iPhone, what do you think about this statement from one of our readers.
Another reader said that if the Nexus 4 is in popular demand, both LG and Google should ramp up production, if they did this they might have an iPhone killer on their hands. When they say iPhone killer they mean one smartphone against another, not the iPhone against all Android phones. Another interesting comment we read was a reader quoting “It’s all about value. Nexus 4 has nearly the same specs as the Galaxy S3, yet costs half as much.”
It does not matter to the buyer who is to blame being it Google or LG, what matters is the Nexus 4 is one of the most sought after handsets on the market and both firms need to capitalise on this and get more stock in. It is a very stupid saga that could damage both Google’s and LG’s credibility.
We here at Phones Review would love to know if you are now considering forgetting the LG Nexus 4 and thinking about purchasing a different phone altogether, if you have anything to say about the Nexus 4 please do share with us. How long will the Nexus 4 hype continue.
Nexus 4 at T-Mobile in stock again.
If you’re still trying to get your hands on the Google Nexus 4 smartphone by LG you’ll no doubt already know that it has been extremely difficult to get hold of. We’ve been keeping you informed with news on this and today we can tell you that if you’ve been waiting for it to come back in stock at T-Mobile more supplies have arrived at last and it you head to the online order page now you should be able to order one. Of course as stocks have been selling out very quickly we don’t know how long this latest batch will last so you may be best to order your Nexus 4 quickly.
The Nexus 4 is a very impressive and notable smartphone and we’ve not held back with our enthusiasm for it. It’s just a shame that the launch of such a significant phone was marred by the poor supplies. Available through the Google Play Store it sold out virtually instantly and the same thing happened with further stock. T-Mobile was the only other avenue in the US for consumers to purchase the Nexus 4 and we recently told how the carrier had stated that more units would be available for sale in more stores and hopefully online on January 23rd. Following that we heard further news that availability was to stabilize soon as production had been increased.
We’re happy to say then that T-Mobile has kept to its word as while a look at the Google Play Store today shows the Nexus 4 still listed as sold out, the T-Mobile website shows stock available. Of course there is a premium to pay for ordering the phone through T-Mobile. The full retail price of the 16GB Nexus 4 is listed at $549.99 or you can obtain it on a two-year contract for $199.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate. However when available through Google Play it was being sold unlocked at $299 for the 8GB model or $349 for the 16GB model.
Obviously that’s a big difference in price if you’re buying the phone outright but as stock looks to be improving some may prefer to wait and see if the Google Play Store also gets new stock in soon, although there’s no word on that just yet. If you are tempted to purchase the Nexus 4 through T-Mobile then head to the order page here for more info on the handset and get that Nexus 4 added to your shopping cart while it’s still available. We’ve just checked again before publication and the phone is still in stock at the time of writing. You’ll see at the top of that order page that for a limited time T-Mobile is waiving its activation fee on all devices purchased on a two-year contract and that will save you $35. This offer ends on January 31.
11:17 AM
The closer we get to the January 30 event to formally introduce the BlackBerry 10 operating system and the first devices that will run it, the more leaks we are hearing. After initial concern that RIM was asking too much of the new overhauled OS we’re now getting pretty excited as BB10 and the initial device info we’ve seen so far seem to show real promise. All of the major US carriers have now shown interest in carrying BB10 and today we have news of a leaked T-Mobile roadmap showing a launch date of the BlackBerry Lisbon smartphone, aka the Z10.
We’ve been giving readers news on the Z10 as we’ve heard it including reports that a dummy model of the smartphone had been spotted with Verizon branding. At the weekend we also told how the first phone released running BB10 could release on February 28 according to an internal inventory, although it wasn’t specified if this was the Z10. If you’re a T-Mobile US customer and interested in the upcoming BlackBerry 10 devices then you’ll be pleased to learn of the T-Mobile roadmap that has emerged and lists the Z10 /Lisbon.
The phone is shown with a launch date of March 27th and if you haven’t followed the news so far then the Z10 is a full touchscreen BlackBerry device, although a QWERTY BB10 smartphone is also due to be announced at the event. Some of the specs that have been rumored for the Z10 so far include a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 4.2-inch display with resolution of 1280 x 768, 2GB of RAM and 16 or 32GB of onboard storage, expandable via microSD card.
There’s also an 8-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel front-facing shooter, 4G LTE connectivity (presumably also HSPA+ for T-Mobile), NFC and a 1800 mAh removable battery. First images also show the handset appears to be sleek and stylish too.
Please remember that information so far is from leaks and so unconfirmed. We should be hearing full specs of the Z10 along with availability and pricing at the January 30 BB10 event and also hope to hear more about the QWERTY handset that will also release soon. WE shall, of course, keep readers informed about further developments as we hear them. The same leaked T-Mobile roadmap also contains news that the ‘New Rate Plan and Data Offers (100% Value)’ will be launched on March 17th, signifying the end of the Classic Plan and the debut of the Value Plan as reported by TMONews.
Views from our readers are always welcome and we’d be interested to hear your views on the upcoming BlackBerry 10 OS and the first devices that will use it. Are you avidly awaiting the official announcement and can’t wait to get your hands on a new BB10 phone.
7:16 AM
We’ve been tracking developments on the HTC M7 smartphone and as we get closer to an expected release the more we hear. This is a notable Android handset and will be truly viable competition against some of the best phones on the market. It looks set to be a big success for HTC and we now have some carrier news for potential HTC M7 customers in the US. If accurate it seems that Verizon could be late to the game leaving the other 3 major US carriers to get a head start on sales.
Previous leaks on US carriers for the HTC M7 suggested that AT&T, Sprint and Verizon all looked set to carry the phone and that it was still possible that T-Mobile would also carry the M7. However although it now seems that all four major US carriers will supply the HTC M7, it appears that launch partners for the M7 will be AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile. The ubiquitous “trusted sources” are now saying that although Verizon will carry the M7 at some point, it will be delayed.
No reason has been given for the Verizon delay but it is speculated that it may be to allow a gap between the M7 and Verizon’s HTC Droid DNA that only released in November, as they are similar in many ways. Yesterday we gave you news of a possible release of the HTC M7 in the UK and the rest of Europe on March 8 although this is not yet confirmed.
There is still no release date, rumored or otherwise for the M7 in the US but events are taking place on February 19 in London and New York where we hope to hear more. Remember the HTC M7 could just be a codename for this smartphone and that when it’s announced it may well be titled something entirely different. Whatever it’s called it’s one to look forward to as we’ve already heard leaks of a 1.7GHz quad-core processor, 4.7-inch full HD display, 2GB of RAM and possibly a 13-megapixel rear camera, all running Android Jelly Bean.
We’ll continue to bring you developments on the HTC M7 and of course the news from the events taking place on February 19. You may also be interested in our comparison of the HTC M7 vs. Galaxy S4
HTC One SV heading for the UK on EE.
For those Android faithful over here in the United Kingdom that love HTC made devices there is a new Android Ice Cream Sandwich sporting smartphone coming from the HTC camp that is destined to play nice on EE in the UK and that smartphone is the HTC One SV, which is said to land on Brit shores in the coming weeks.
A report over on Pocket Now has it that HTC has officially announced the HTC One SV for the United Kingdom, which will become available through selected retailers, operators and distribution partners, one of which will be EE, as the HTC One SV is capable of playing nice on EE’s 4G LTE network.
However, the HTC One SV isn’t the most powerful device HTC has delivered, as the handset does come with a rather modest spec sheet that includes a 4.3-inch Super LCD2 WVGA touch screen along with a 1.2GHz Snapdragon S4 dual core processor.
The Android Ice Cream Sandwich handset also offers a 5 megapixel rear facing camera, a 1.6 megapixel front facing camera, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, NFC, Beats Audio tech and all the usual.
It might disappoint some that this mid-range handset is coming with Android ICS aboard; however we previously reported that HTC Android Jelly Bean update device information had been leaked, and on that list of devices scheduled to receive an update to Jelly Bean is the HTC One SV, so that handset will be getting a taste of Android Jelly Bean at some point in the future.
Apparently HTC announced the One SV back at the beginning of last month for some regions, but if you are in the UK you should be able to purchase the device soon, which will be available in Glacier White and Pyrenees Blue options. However, unfortunately there is no exact release date mentioned or any mention of what price tag the One SV will command.
6:40 AM
As you probably know, Samsung’s first Windows Phone 8 handset, the Samsung Ativ S has been a bit of an elusive smartphone what with seeing delay after delay with getting the device out into the mobile space. We recently reported that the Ativ S had been given yet another delay and the device wouldn’t arrive until February 2013. However, it seems that report was wrong.
The word is old Sammy has quietly released the Samsung Ativ S over in Europe, in Austria to be precise, on T-Mobile, and T-Mobile Austria confirmed the arrival of Samsung’s first Windows Phone 8 smartphone by sending WPCentral a picture of the smartphone sitting on yesterday’s newspaper as proof.
Thus the Samsung Ativ S has finally come out to play but only in Austria for the moment, where the smartphone is in stock and available as a free handset on contract for the 16GB model, but there is no sign of the 32GB version
The Samsung Ativ S delays had previously been put down to the success and demand for both the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 2, but it would appear that particular reason for delaying the handset is no longer an issue.
As a remainder, the Ativ S sports the same 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD touch screen and 8 megapixel rear facing camera as the Galaxy S3, and also packs a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 dual core processor, and a 2300mAh battery.
T-Mobile Austria is touting the Ativ S as a Windows 8 phone that oozes elegance, and as the smartphone is now in stock and available in Austria, hopefully it shouldn’t be too long before we see the Samsung Ativ S pop up for sale in other markets.
The Ativ S is Samsung's first device to run Windows Phone 8, and with its unveiling at IFA 2012 in Berlin, it was also the first Windows Phone 8 device to be officially unveiled as well.
The Ativ S features a 4.8″ Super AMOLED display, a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel camera, near field communications, and support for HSPA+ networks. The Ativ S is expected to be available with 16GB or 32GB of internal storage.The phone is known for having very similar hardware to the Galaxy S III, which runs Android.A Samsung executive has noted that demand for Windows-based phones and tablets is low.
6:33 AM
Only a week or so ago we were discussing the likelihood of the Apple iPhone 5 coming to T-Mobile USA as speculation has been rife for some time. However at that time it appeared that this was unlikely to happen very soon with T-Mobile asserting that the price would have to be right before it would make a deal. It now seems that we could be in for an imminent surprise though with an announcement coming as early as next week about T-Mobile and the iPhone.
Previously we told how T-Mobile still wanted the iPhone and acknowledged that the lack of carrying the iPhone 5 had made a negative impact on business in Q3. However the company was unwilling to make unnecessary sacrifices and so it seemed that it might yet be quite some time before the iPhone came to T-Mobile. The latest news today though suggests that we could be shocked at how soon the iPhone may come to T-Mobile, with a possible announcement on December 6th or 7th during analyst day meeting.
Scott Craig, analyst for Merrill Lynch, said in a note to clients yesterday that there was heightened speculation that Deutsche Telekom will declare the iPhone’s arrival very soon on subsidiary T-Mobile, according to Fortune. This, despite the fact that T-Mobile’s LTE network has yet to go live although it has invested huge amounts of money in updating its HSPA+ network to suit current iPhone models. This latest information follows hot-on-the-heels of news yesterday that the Apple online store is about to sell the iPhone 5 unlocked.
If T-Mobile does indeed begin carrying the iPhone this would mean that Apple would have access to 98% of the post-paid market in the US. Craig also added that a T-Mobile iPhone would bump his estimate of 179 million iPhones sold in 2013 by another 4 million units. It’s worth reminding readers that although T-Mobile doesn’t yet carry the iPhone around 1.5 million of the unlocked devices currently use T-Mobile networks after T-Mobile urged AT&T customers to jump ship with its Unlimited & Unlocked promotion.
T-Mobile USA & iPhone, only if price is right.
In the smartphone industry one of the most glaring omissions is that T-Mobile is not a carrier of the Apple iPhone in the US. It has been long-debated whether T-Mobile will one day join the other major US carriers, AT&T Verizon and Sprint in offering the iPhone and the latest news is that T-Mobile still covets the iPhone, but only if the price is right. For now it seems that T-Mobile will have to continue to rely on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S3, the Galaxy Note 2 and Google Nexus 4 in a bid to stay in the game.
Many readers will know that AT&T originally had exclusivity of the iPhone and then in 2011 Verizon joined the fun with a CDMA version of the iPhone 4. Following that in late 2011 Sprint made a huge four-year $15.5 billion deal with Apple to also carry the iPhone and although the carrier hopes this will eventually pay off, it has already acknowledged that it’s device subsidy costs have been significantly driven up. It seems that T-Mobile is keen to avoid the same kind of deal, whilst at the same time acknowledging that is has been harmed by not carrying the iPhone. Back in October we reported on speculation that T-Mobile may begin offering the iPhone 5 in early 2013 but news today makes that seem less plausible.
At the Morgan Stanley 12th Annual Technology, Media and Telecoms Conference in Barcelona, T-Mobile USA COO Jim Alling said that although they would love to offer the iPhone, “we want the economies to be right for us,” according to FierceWireless. Although Alling did not directly mention Sprint he did refer to a competitor that recently signed a deal with Apple and would not see a profit from it until 2015, saying that T-Mobile USA would not be signing a similar deal. Acknowledging T-Mobile’s lack of the iPhone though, Alling also conceded, “we recognize that it has been a point of churn for us.”
Alling and other T-Mobile executives also acknowledged that the arrival of the LTE iPhone 5 in September had a negative impact on its business for the third quarter and was likely to also do some damage for the fourth quarter of 2012. However, it was also detailed that around 1.5 million unlocked iPhones now use the T-Mobile network and its SIM-only Value Plans and it’s anticipated that this number will rise with developments to fully utilize HSPA+ at 1900 MHz under its network modernization plans.
T-Mobile USA has made it clear then that although it’s still very keen to carry the iPhone it won’t make what it feels to be unnecessary sacrifices in order to do so. It will be interesting to see what happens next with this but it certainly feels like something that could drag on for some time yet. We’d like to know what readers think about this. Do you think T-Mobile should make almost any necessary investment to carry the iPhone.
6:31 AM
I’m sure everyone knows that over in the good old US of A T-mobile USA doesn’t currently offer the iPhone, but that is soon to change as the carrier has struck a deal with Apple to finally bring their iOS smartphone to their customers. T-Mobile did say late last year that the iPhone would be coming to their network, but the word is it will arriver sooner than later.
According to a report by Reuters, Deutsche Telekom chief exec John Legere has stated that T-Mobile USA will be offering the iPhone in roughly three to four months time to coincide with the carrier’s plan to eliminate handset subsidies.
Legere wouldn’t elaborate on the details of their agreement with Apple, but whilst at CES 2013 in Las Vegas did say that their iOS smartphone and subsidy elimination is coming in 3 to 4 months rather than 6 to 9 months time.
T-Mobile USA’s plan to get rid of handset subsidies this year is to offer customers better flexibility along with lower service prices, whilst the carrier hopes to attract customers from rivals Verizon and AT&T by combining removing subsidies and offering the iPhone that will be a first for the US wireless industry.
Legere also stated that he could possibly up the carrier’s market share by five percent or more from larger rivals that still rely on subsidising handsets giving the customer a discount for committing to a two-year agreement, and remarked that if the old industry infrastructure ignores what the carrier is doing that is a potential.
T-Mobile is currently trying to gain regulatory approval for their merger with MetroPCS, the exec has said that it might not stop there, and he might explore a partnership with Dish Network Corp or possibly with Leap Wireless International Inc.
Analysts have previously said that Leap and MetroPCS networks would go well together, whilst they have also remarked that they see T-Mobile USA or Sprint Nextel Corp as the most likely to partner Dish.
As for Leap, Legere has said that the smaller rival is one of those things that makes sense for them to look at, and although he isn’t in any talks with Dish at the moment, when he was asked if he would consider a partnership with Dish, he said yes.
T-Mobile iPhone 2013 and killing off subsidies.
Well now, it was only a matter of time until we saw Apple gear come to T-Mobile, and the word is the iPhone along with other Apple gear will finally be offered by T-Mobile next year. Apparently T-Mobile and Apple have now entered an agreement that will see the carrier selling Apple products in early 2013, although unsubsidised.
A report over on Gigaom has it that John Legere, the CEO of T-Mobile USA has confirmed that the carrier will offer the iPhone in 2013, but the carrier will also be moving completely away from subsidising all devices next year.
Killing off subsidies will of course mean that if you wish to purchase a device from T-Mobile, the customer will be required to shell out the full price for the device upfront, bring in their own unlocked device, or purchase a device on T-Mobile’s instalment plan.
In 2013 T-Mobile will move entirely to their unsubsidised Value plans that offer the customer cheaper rates for voice and certain data. The carrier says that 80% of their activations last quarter were value plans, and as such they believe there is a big demand for this type of model.
However, when it comes to the iPhone 5, the smartphone commands a hefty unlocked and unsubsidised price tag of between $650 and $850 depending on version, and one of the reasons the iOS smartphone is popular is that operators offer devices with big subsidies bringing the upfront price down to as low as $200.
This means that T-Mobile will need to convince potential customers that shelling out the full price upfront for a device, and using their lower value plan rate will actually save them cash over the two-year contract term.
However, it appears that T-Mobile has a unique and cunning plan of action when it comes to offering the iPhone, with the CEO implying that they will possibly heavily finance the iOS smartphone by selling the device for $99 and then charge $15 to $20 per month in fees over a 20 month period, which basically still sounds to the customer like they are subsidising the device.
6:19 AM
The Samsung Galaxy S3 has been with us for a while now and has sold millions of units around the world, and over the last couple of months the handset has been the centre of attention with regards to the latest Android update for the device. Samsung first pushed the Android Jelly Bean update out at the end of September with it first hitting the UK in the following month, but there is still no sign of the Android Jelly Bean update for the Orange or T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S3, which remains a mystery to why there has been no sight of it yet.
In the UK the likes of Three and O2 were among the first carriers to get the Jelly Bean update out to its customers, which was then followed by unlocked versions of the smartphone to start receiving the updated operating system. Fast forward to now around two months later and owners of the device on Orange and T-Mobile still have no official news from the carrier about the availability of the new firmware.
Looking on various support forums there are many frustrated customers with many contacting their carrier asking for information on when the Jelly Bean update will be released. Some have been told by T-Mobile that it would arrive by early December, but obviously this has come and gone, and on contacting the company again were told they have no idea when the new software will arrive.
Customers of the two carriers that are now part of the EE Company will be wondering when they will ever see the update, and this is at a time when customers of US carrier Verizon can expect to see Android Jelly Bean in the next couple of days.
Samsung has recently begun rolling out another Jelly Bean update in the form of 4.1.2 to unlocked versions of the handset, and it was previously expected that Android 4.2 would hit the Samsung Galaxy S3 early next year.
We have heard of some customers of Orange that have received the update already but these claims can’t be confirmed, and there are many more that are saying they have yet to see any update. Some users are wondering if the delay may have something to do with the merger of T-Mobile and Orange to form EE, and many angry customers have said that they will be leaving the carrier once their contract is finished.Some have decided to use a custom ROM to get hold of the Jelly Bean firmware, but this should only be done if you are confident in such things, and this can invalidate your warranty for the handset.
Samsung Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean rollout for T-Mobile USA.
It seems strange to some of you that the Samsung Galaxy S3 has yet to see the Jelly Bean update rollout in North America. However, we’re happy to report that T-Mobile are now pushing the update, so you’re advised to check now via your Samsung Kies software to see if you have it yet. While this is great news for those with the Galaxy S III on T-Mobile USA, it’s a little disappointing for those on other carriers such as AT&T, as they still have to play the waiting game.
While it’s easy to put the blame on the likes of Samsung to get Jelly Bean later than other devices, more often than not it’s down to the carriers in the US, which is the case this time. What we do find strange is that T-Mobile USA did not even make an announcement that they would be making the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean available, instead it just appeared – but who’s complaining? Although it’s now showing on their support page.
What has surprised us the most though is when Samsung suggested that Jelly Bean would not be made available for the Galaxy S3 until 2013, which did seem a little strange when you consider that these handsets has seen the update some time ago in other countries; although we did explain the reason for this above.
The Galaxy S3 receiving Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean is good in one respect and negative in another because while this is a new version for the handset, it’s not the latest version of Android as 4.2 is. We reported a few days ago that AT&T should also be getting 4.1.1 JB for the Galaxy S3 any day now, so maybe it will appear out of the blue just like T-Mobile.
Speaking of Jelly Bean it looks as though the Motorola Xoom and the Nexus S will not be receiving update 4.2 and will have to stick with 4.1.2. Does seem strange that such old devices received JB long before the newer Galaxy S3, and we all know that these older devices have been struggling to run Jelly Bean.
