Fresh details leaked Monday have an LTE iPad 3 shipping for at least two US carriers. AT&T and Verizon would both sell the tablet at 4G speeds, the Wall Street Journal said. Whether or not Sprint's upcoming LTE network wasn't mentioned, but the hardware would have the expected fallback to 3G in areas where LTE wasn't available.
Samsung has unveiled its third seven-inch tablet within a year and a half on Monday by bringing out the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0). The design is its first Android 4.0 tablet and mostly benefits from improved responsiveness and a new app drawer, although it adds extras like Face Unlock. Hardware performance is potentially a step back from the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, since it runs a 1GHz dual-core chip of an unmentioned make versus 1.2GHz on the earlier design.
AT&T's efforts for shared data plans came closer to fruition Sunday after leaks from its Telegence account management system. Staffers showed Engadget that the interface for family plans was being changed to include a data section so that staff could add the eventual data plans at the same time as voice and text. No clues appeared for when shared data would take effect.
A staff memo has leaked plans for AT&T to hike its device upgrade fee. The BGR copy had the cost jumping from $18 to $36. The cost was allegedly necessary because the "overall costs" for upgrading to a new device had gone up, AT&T said.
AT&T's plans for the year took a step forward Friday after a sighting of its first LTE-capable micro-SIM cards. A store contact for Phone Arena caught a briefing that sales staff were to get rid of older cards and replace them with the new versions fully capable of talking to the 4G network. The memo didn't specifically attach the cards to any one device.
The early run of the aptly-named First Edition bundle of the PlayStation Vita has just received an official unboxing from Sony's US team. The system is due to arrive on February 15 to those who preordered it, or one week before its widespread launch in stores. Included in the bundle is a 4GB PS Vita memory card, a unique PS Vita carrying case, and a physical copy of the Little Deviants game.
Sprint in the wake of its fall results expanded its LTE plans and also touted the iPhone as a better option for its network than Android. The carrier now planned to add its original WiMAX city, Baltimore, to the cities getting LTE-based 4G by mid-2012. Sprint's home area of Kansas City was also new and would see a total of six cities getting the new network.
Sprint on Wednesday revealed a huge upswing in subscriber additions through its inaugural quarter of iPhone sales. It sold 1.8 million iPhones during the fall, 40 percent of which went to people new to the network. Apple's device was almost single-handedly responsible for returning Sprint to performance it hasn't seen in years: at 1.6 million net new subscribers, it saw the most adds since 2005 and had set a new high for its customer base at 55 million.
Nokia will bring out at least one new flagship smartphone at the MWC show at the end of this month, Forbes reported. Currently, the device is likely an international version of the Lumia 900, which was accidentally revealed by the Finnish phonemaker this morning. A US version is expected to arrive at AT&T sometime in March.
AT&T has now released the U-verse iPad app (free, App Store), meant as a companion to the TV watching experience. U-verse TV subscribers can get extra information and bonus content through the app on the TV show they're watching, such as photos, cast and crew data, similar shows, a synopsis, and more. The app will also turn the iPad into a remote control and a guide, letting users schedule DVR recordings and see what's coming up.
A scoop Tuesday had the Nokia Lumia 800 reaching the US in an official capacity, but with conditions. A source for The Verge had Nokia's first Windows Phone coming to the US through Microsoft Stores as part of a bundle. The pack would include both an unlocked Lumia 800 as well as a Play 360 Bluetooth speaker and a Purity HD stereo headphone set.
GameStop stores as promised have started carrying PlayStation Vita demo units. Depending on which of the 3,300 stores showing the Vita gamers visit, they should have access to a handful of the 25 launch titles to try. Among the mix will include FIFA, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, and Wipeout 2048.
Both Americans and Canadians alike got the opportunity to preorder the Samsung Galaxy Note on Sunday. An AT&T listing lets Americans pick the 4G device and a matching plan ahead of the February 19 release. Contract-free purchases aren't available ahead of time on the $300 Android phone, although both the very dark carbon blue and ceramic white colors are options.
At least some anecdotes from AT&T subscribers have shown that its throttling practices for unlimited data plan users have started to take effect at low levels. John Cozen claimed to have seen the throttling take effect with as little as 2.1GB of data used in the month, or just over the pre-increase 2GB tiered plan's cap. He escalated complaints about the issue to levels where he could confirm the throttling wasn't a mistake.
Dish is facing opposition from AT&T on its plans to develop a 4G LTE-Advanced mobile broadband network to complement its existing satellite TV and other services. It has petitioned the FCC on the matter, arguing that AT&T is pushing for an ‘overly aggressive and unrealistic schedule’ for its suggested build-out time frames. Dish argues that such conditions would ‘set Dish up for failure or force Dish into unfavorable business arrangements.’
Microsoft's retail stores have started taking pre-orders for the Nokia Lumia 900. Those willing to put down a $25 deposit can reserve either the black or cyan blue versions. Stores aren't saying when the device ships or how much it costs, although it may cost $100 on contract.
Huawei will bring out its seven-inch MediaPad tablet on AT&T's network tomorrow, February 3. Unfortunately, it will only be offered to enterprise users, so a business account is required. Pricing is not being revealed either, with the carrier stating only that prices will vary depending on the business account.
Apple and AT&T are leading computer and phone support in conditions that are still on the decline, Vocalabs found in a pair of studies of phone help quality. Apple was still out in front by a significant margin in computers, with 54 percent very satisfied to 49 percent of HP owners and 44 at Dell. The figure for Mac help was still down a full 19 points from the first half of 2010, however, where Dell and HP had always been at their lower levels.
Sprint is planning a short but key promo to catch customers that might leave. Details uncovered by SprintFeed show the carrier using e-mail or physical mail to offer a discount to customers "at a high risk of leaving Sprint." If tagged, they will get amounts between $25 to $100 off their next phone if they're upgrade-eligible, with the amount most likely depending on the device.
Verizon's $3.6 billion purchase of AWS spectrum is now also attracting the attention of the Senate Judiciary Committee's antitrust subcommittee. A hearing will likely occur sometime in March, a staffer revealed, though who will be called to testify hasn't yet been shared. Rivals, such as Sprint, are calling for other elements of the contract to be scrutinized due to fears that the deal will result in an unfair advantage for Verizon.
Samsung has posted a teaser video (below) for its Galaxy Note Super Bowl ad that has already triggered some concerns about its success. The spot now appears to recycle scenes from the original ad of November, including the complaints about how the iPhone 4S looks too much like the old model and the "sketchy" battery life. Most of this apparent first half of the 90-second ad shows the Apple fans bored with waiting.
AT&T has finally released its belated Android 2.3 update to the Samsung Infuse 4G. The handset was long overdue for the update, as it launched last May with Android 2.2 onboard. The new changes include a better copy and paste feature, a redesign for the software keyboard, a download manager for web downloads, and improved power and app management.
RIM's BlackBerry London has been refined in looks ahead of what could be an attempt to return to the US in force. New leaks to CrackBerry have the render of the first BlackBerry 10 phone's expected finished look making it considerably more refined than the very angular, Porsche Design-like look of a dummy unit. A presumably mock screenshot also points to a more refined media player than either on BlackBerry 7 or on the PlayBook.
Following its failed attempt to acquire T-Mobile, AT&T has begun a reorganization of its leadership, according to Reuters. The changes have seen experienced, longs-serving AT&T executives promoted. 27-year veteran John Stankey has been put in charge of strategy, while Forrest Miller, the current head of corporate strategy and mergers and acquisitions is retiring after 30 years. The company also said that 32-year company man Andy Geisse will head up the business segment, and and John Donovan will take over duties leading the AT&T’s technology and network operations.
Samsung and AT&T quickly followed up details of the Canadian launch with word of American launch plans for the Galaxy Note. AT&T will have the device at roughly the same time, February 19. The large-screen, LTE-equipped device will cost $300 on a contract and will be up for pre-orders February 5.
AT&T's launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note might be preempted by a very wide Canadian release. Bell, Rogers, and Telus have all committed early this week to carrying the LTE version of the 5.3-inch phone and tablet crossover. Although Bell and Telus have only listed it as "coming soon," Rogers has officially committed to a mid-February launch, making it probable that all three will launch at or near the same time.
RIM's new leader Thorsten Heins in further interviews has outlined how he plans to take on competition in the short term. He revealed to Reuters that just 20 percent of BlackBerry owners are using a modern version of the OS, in some cases using BlackBerry 5 or even older. Much of the company's focus would be on getting them to upgrade to new phones, including special carrier deals that could bundle devices together or give carriers phones with bundled apps.
Sony has hoped to lure gamers to the PlayStation Vita with another bundle for the official February 22 US arrival. The Launch Day bundle mates the 3G version of the console with a free month's pass for 250MB of AT&T data. While most of the accessories aren't present from the First Edition bundle, gamers get a twice-as-large 8GB memory card to encourage more game and add-on downloads.
A unique variant of the Samsung Galaxy S II has now shown up undergoing FCC testing. The device, only known so far as the GT-i9070, will have GSM/EDGE 850MHz and 1,900MHz support, along with WCDMA 3G bands II and IV used in the US. It's believed focused on China.
AT&T on Thursday marked very mixed results from its fall quarter that were partly self-inflicted. The season marked its best ever for smartphones, owed primarily to the iPhone 4S launch. About 7.6 million iPhones were activated out of the 9.4 million smartphones sold, making Apple's platform 80 percent of AT&T's customer base.
More details from AT&T's escaped roadmap have shown in two leaks Wednesday afternoon. The new BGR tips point to a new, $410 Sony tablet known as the Crystal. While it could be something new, it's most likely to be the long-delayed Tablet P (S2), a dual-screened Android tablet with HSPA+ 3G.
Nokia's launch of the Lumia 900 in the US may compete fiercely on price. A leak at BGR, corroborated by previously accurate Windows writer Paul Thurrott, has the 4G Windows Phone costing just $100 on an AT&T contract. The same tip likewise supports earlier talk of a March 18 ship date.
LG Electronics on Wednesday revealed that its Optimus LTE handsets have sold more than one million units. The Android 2.3 device, touted by its maker as the first that combines an HD touchscreen with LTE for 4G, is sold in Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the US, sometimes under different names. The device sold 600,000 in its first three months on the market in Korea after its October launch last year.
Clearwire on Tuesday showed a significant recovery from near death with early estimates of its results. It swung from a loss in the summer to net positive earnings in the fall, owed directly to adding more subscribers and cost-cutting. The 4G provider expected to have gained 900,000 total customers, or an 11 percent jump just in one season.
A leaked strategy document from T-Mobile has shown TMoNews that the carrier is actively trying to discourage the large number of unlocked iPhones on its network. Incorrectly referring to the devices at the "iPhone 4G" and "4G S," the staff memo insists that T-Mobile users are getting a "poor" experience by being on the carrier's EDGE (2G) network. Moving to one of its '4G' phones like the HTC Amaze 4G or Radar 4G will be free them from being "stuck in the 2G slow lane" with Apple's device.
Verizon on Tuesday posted a rare loss for its fall quarter despite an otherwise upbeat result defined by the iPhone. It lost 71 cents per share through pension compensation but had its best subscriber additions in three years, adding a net 1.5 million new customers. Having shipped 4.2 million iPhones, the credit could go primarily to Apple for the record performance.
Last March, AT&T confirmed that it was planning to cap its Internet services and begin charging overage fees. It is now almost a year later and the provider has still not implemented its strategy. It is likely that AT&T hasn't done so because it still hasn't figured out how to measure usage accurately and then bill for overages.
AT&T following a promise it made as a condition of its since-dropped takeover of T-Mobile has jointly filed with T-Mobile to transfer some of its wireless spectrum. The deal will give about $1 billion in frequency licenses to T-Mobile in accordance with terms AT&T agreed to in the even the deal failed. T-Mobile is expected to use the space to fill out coverage and overcome a deficit it has relative to other major US carriers.
European retailer Carphone Warehouse has said it will begin offering the Nokia Lumia 900 for pre-order, with an on-sale date set for June. There are no prices listed for the phone yet, which will be Nokia's flagship Windows Phone 7.5 device for much of 2012. In the US, the phone will be an exclusive offering at AT&T, starting in March.
The Xperia ion introduced at CES has just got its first price tag, thanks to Negri Electronics. The third-party outfit is listing an unlocked device for just short of $570. The pre-order doesn't include a shipping date, however.
Two of the devices formally unveiled at AT&T's Developer Summit have shipped to stores as of Sunday. The Element is Pantech's first US tablet and focuses on its LTE-based 4G data and its water resistance as its selling points: the eight-inch Android 3.2 device can take splashes and most other common abuse.
Sony has quietly updated its PlayStation Vita 3G plan page to reflect the AT&T plan shakeup from this past week. While the $15, 250MB plan stays intact, the top-end plan has been bumped up $5 to cost $30 and provide a larger 3GB. As before, both are 30-day prepaid plans and can be managed entirely from the Vita.
AT&T just revealed it has began selling Acer's 11.6-inch Aspire One A0722 netbook. The dual-core, 1GHz AMD C-50 system sports a full-sized keyboard and can connect to the carrier's HSPA+ network. A six-cell battery may give it long battery life, although it's not known by how long.
The International Telecommunication Union this week gave a label to a whole class of future 4G standards. Both LTE-Advanced and WiMAX 2 (WirelessMAN-Advanced) will be classed as IMT-Advanced. While the actual speeds of the standards vary, the ITU is promising "at least 100 times faster" performance than 3G and to get the higher speeds using less wireless bandwidth.
IHS iSuppli made an optimistic estimate late Wednesday that Windows Phone would overtake the iPhone in market share by 2015. It saw Nokia's switch to Windows Phones like the Lumia 900 as a catalyst, taking Windows Phone from just 1.9 percent in 2011 to nine percent in 2012 and 16.7 percent in 2015. At that rate, it would just be ahead of Apple, which researchers thought would have 16.7 percent.
AT&T in a surprise step Wednesday increased its mobile data plan prices with cap changes to match. New customers will pay an extra $5 per month on plans but will get more data depending on the plan they use. Basic Data Plus users get the least increase, moving from 250MB to 300MB per month with $20 the new baseline; the more common Data Pro plans are now $30 and $50, but supply 3GB (up from 2GB) and 5GB (up from 4GB).
Nokia may have been asked to cut prices on the Lumia 800 to shore up poor performance in stores. Apparent leaks on Wednesday from a pair of sources to the Financial Times asserted that carriers wanted the suggested cost to run lower so they could put the flagship Windows Phone on lower monthly tariffs. Nokia had originally asked for the phone to be sold on £25 ($39) plans, but carriers wanted it on the £20 ($31) closer to budget plans.
Dish in responses to speculation has said it's open to deals that might see a carrier deal. CEO Joe Clayton disclosed to Bloomberg late last week that the company "could be acquired or... could be the acquirer" and was willing to entertain options. While a spokesman wouldn't address speculation about carrier acqusitions, Clayton had previously remarked that Dish would be willing to talk to T-Mobile and possibly other carriers.
The IPv6 Internet addressing standard will get a more formal launch by its backers on June 6, which is being devoted World IPv6 Day. Seven global ISPs will back the new standard then, including AT&T, Comcast and Time Warner. Also onboard are heavily trafficked websites, including Facebook, Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft's Bing, as well as hardware makers Cisco and D-Link.
Apple showed it was just now starting to catch up to iPhone 4S demand on Tuesday after the online Apple Store saw lead times contract. Having been set back by a week for nearly all of the smartphone's existence, orders for AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon models now take three to five days to ship regardless of capacity. Individual carriers make it more difficult to gauge demand, although Verizon is showing a delay only on the white 32GB iPhone.
