A new rumor originating from WPDang has Nokia announcing the Lumia 730 phone. It would slot in between the existing Lumia 710 and Lumia 800 and run on the unreleased Windows Phone Tango. It would have similar specs to the 710, but would forego the ClearBlack display and polycarbonate casing.
Sprint will soon begin an Upgrade Now trial that will give some of its subscribers the option to buy out the remainder of their contracts in order to upgrade to new hardware early, SprintFeed learned. The trial will only be available at corporate stores, and there are restrictions on who's eligible. Fees will be determined based on how much time is remaining on a user's contract, with new two year contracts started as well.
AT&T and Verizon have reportedly lobbied to deregulate spectrum auctions and reduce the Federal Communication Commission's role in managing spectrum allocation between carriers. The companies are accused of pushing legislators to add a special provision to the JOBS Act (PDF) that would bar the FCC from excluding a company from bidding.
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.
Sprint has launched a website to help its customers visualize and understand the timing of its elimination of its cell towers that support its old Nextel push-to-talk iDEN network. The site shows subscribers by area when towers in their service area will switch coverage off. Sprint will begin shutting down the service starting next year.
(Update: Google follow-up An investigation into Google's supported device has revealed that Google has quietly demoted the CDMA version of the Galaxy Nexus. The Verizon model, and possibly the upcoming Sprint version, aren't listed anymore as supported hardware, Droid-Life said. Google now claims "no CDMA devices are supported" and has also pulled the Nexus S 4G and Verizon-edition Motorola Xoom from the list.
Last month's leak of the ZTE Optik 3G tablet coming to Sprint this month proved true. The seven-inch, Android 3.2 tablet has a 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor and will cost just under $100 on a two-year data plan from the carrier. The screen has a resolution of 1280x800, which is high for its size.
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.
Sprint in comments Tuesday revealed it had given LightSquared one more deadline extension for it to get FCC approval. The would-be 4G network had until mid-March to get clearance, a Sprint representative explained to Total Telecom. It had already been given an extension this month that had already run dry.
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.
The Nexus S 4G may soon get an update to Android 4.0, as indicated by a leaked ROM for testing on Google's servers. While it's since been removed, one developer over at the XDA Developers forum managed to get his hands on the code and shared it. The software carries build number IMM26 and will update the handset to Android 4.0.4, which isn't officially on any device.
Sprint just announced it will soon add the Kyocera DuraPlus handset to its lineup. The candybar supports the carrier's Direct Connect push-to-talk service and is ultra-rugged, meeting military-spec 810G standards for dust, shock, water, and other conditions. There is also a built-in LED flashlight.
Several months after launching the iPhone on its network, Sprint has released a first-party app for subscribers. Called Mobile Zone, the app mainly supplies personal account information. It also incorporates news and promotions from Sprint, though, and various help functions, such as access to support staff.
The FCC on Monday began taking public comments on a LightSquared request to drop shelters protecting GPS from interference from the would-be provider's LTE network. Following LightSquared's accusations of bias, the FCC has put out a notice that will see it compile commentary by February 27 and responses to those comments by March 13. LightSquared executive VP Jeff Carlisle told Bloomberg that he was "extremely pleased" with the move.
Google has posted a signup page for the Sprint version of the Galaxy Nexus. Potential early adopters can get information about when the Android 4.0 phone hits the carrier and also might get news of "Nexus products, services, and features." Those who put in a ZIP code can get locations for shops when orders start.
Samsung's seemingly abandoned Epic 2 for Sprint might still see the light of day after leaks saw it resurface. The Android QWERTY slider is now in Cellebrite's device tracking system, ACSyndicate found, usually a sign that it's getting close to release. The SPH prefix in front of its D705 model number suggests that it's intended for a Sprint-related carrier, which given Sprint's own absence could mean Boost Mobile or Virgin Mobile instead.
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.
As part of its promise to back away from Carrier IQ on its handsets, Sprint's latest software update for its Samsung Epic 4G Touch removes it. The EL29 update is also said to bring with it a number of other changes, such as a security update, the activation of the Commercial Alert System, and dismissing multiple calendar alerts.
A leaked Sprint document appears to show an unannounced ZTE tablet, the Optik, that may be headed to the carrier next month. The internal document, which was posted by Androidcentral, suggests the device will feature a seven-inch display, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 16GB of integrated memory and Android 3.2.
A leaked End-of-Life (EOL) report shared by SprintFeed reveals Sprint will phase out the BlackBerry PlayBook, HTC Evo View 4G, and Evo View 4G before month's end. The shipments to carrier stores will decrease before ceasing altogether. The discontinuation of the two tablets could be an indication Sprint is readying sequels, although only the PlayBook refresh has been hinted at so far.
AT&T has reportedly criticized Sprint for dropping its own cellular coverage in several markets, accusing the competitor of using changes to FCC regulations to downsize its network. Sprint is accused of shutting down networks in Kansas and Oklahoma, relying instead on roaming agreements with AT&T to maintain service in the markets.
Apple in its fall quarterly results retook the crown as the world's largest smartphone maker. Its 37.04 million iPhones shipped were enough to pass Samsung's 35 million and ran significantly above most estimates. The American company had not just the advantage of the iPhone 4S launch during a holiday season but widened carrier access and its fastest international rollout to date.
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.
Veteran corporate raider/investor Carl Icahn may have grabbed some of LightSquared's debt. Reuters, citing several sources familiar with the matter, reports that Icahn, along with two others, bought up a total of $300 million of the troubled LTE network provider's loan obligations over the course of 2011. Icahn has declined to comment.
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.
Sprint has confirmed that it is set to release over-the-air updates for Samsung's Epic 4G handset and HTC's Evo 4G and Evo Design 4G models. The updates primarily focus on removing Carrier IQ's controversial tracking software, though the company suggests it has also "bundled up a few other fixes."
The sustained effect of the iPhone 4S is triggering a decline in Android's US market share, Nielsen showed Wednesday. Although Android had an average 51.7 percent share for the fall among recent buyers, a month-by-month breakdown by the researchers showed that its share among recent buyers dropped from 61.6 percent in October to 48.7 percent in November as iPhone sales traffic picked up. By December, Android and iOS were near even, at 46.9 and 44.5 percent each.
On the heels of a discovery that an update to the Evo 3D pulled Carrier IQ, HTC has confirmed in a statement that all of its Android phones on Sprint will have the controversial diagnostic tool removed. It promised The Verge "maintenance releases" starting this month that would drop Carrier IQ at the same time as they provided security fixes and overall updates. How long it would take to update every phone wasn't mentioned.
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.
Nokia's Lumia 900 might have only a short exclusive period on AT&T and an upgrade before it's out of the market. A rumor floated on Sunday to recently accurate Paul Thurrott had AT&T getting just 45 days' lead time before other US carriers were free to pick it up. They would still have to negotiate, the source from a rival carrier said, but a summer release was considered realistic.
A recent update for the HTC Evo 3D handset has removed the controversial Carrier IQ software, users over on the Android Central forum have found. The update was expected, and backs Sprint's earlier statement that it will back off from actively using the app. The HTC IQAgent and IQRD apps are now showing up as 0KB in the Manage Applications screen.
The MIUI Android custom ROM has made its way to Sprint’s Epic 4G Touch. A variant of the Samsung Galaxy S II, a user’s Epic 4G Touch must first be rooted for the MIUI ROM to work, although installation comes with all the usual caveats including voiding a user’s warranty and even the possibility of bricking the device. As the video below shows, the popular MIUI interface gives Ice Cream Sandwich an iOS-like interface with the slick Ice Cream Sandwich experience retained.
Sprint in commentary during CES confrimed that it was dropping WiMAX on smartphones. The initial LTE smartphones were ultimately representing a full-scale switch to the technology for 4G phones, PCMag was told. The carrier was being more aggressive than it had suggested before and, when promising LTE in mid-year, had meant between January and June, Owens explained.
Boost Mobile, the non-contract service of wireless provider Sprint, will soon offer its version of the LG Marquee. The no-frills Android 2.3 smartphone incorporates a single-core 1GHz processor and a four-inch, 700-nit brightness Nova touchscreen. Sprint began offering the phone under its own brand with a two-year contract back in October.
Virtually every Verizon smartphone in 2012 will be an LTE-based 4G device, hardware marketing associate director Keith Lampron said in a discussion Wednesday. It would now be a "hard requirement" for nearly all devices, he explained to CNET. Only push-to-talk phones and, presumably, basic feature phones would be exempt from the 4G demand.
When Sprint acknowleged on Monday via its website that it would be carrying the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, it indicated that it would be sporting 16GB of internal memory. The company has now revised that specification upwards. The phone will actually come with 32GB of storage.
Sprint on Monday ended some rumors and detailed its first three LTE devices. At the front is its own version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. The Android 4.0 flagship will be identical to the Verizon model but will be the only version so far to be officially blessed with Google Wallet support, letting it use its NFC to pay at MasterCard's PayPass readers in the US.
Sprint has finally posted its Galaxy Nexus page and confirmed launch plans for LG's viper handset, following an advertisement campaign that appeared to launch ahead of schedule. The Nexus teaser does not offer many surprises, aside from a detail pointing to support for the Google Wallet NFC payment system.
Sprint on Friday stated that comments by CEO Dan Hesse which suggested data throttling had been misinterpreted. His remarks were only meant to refer to kicking off or otherwise punishing those who were violating terms of service and ignored warnings, the carrier said. Access was still full speed no matter how much the user had.
The iPhone 4S held off the Galaxy Nexus for the top spot in smartphones on Verizon, Canaccord Genuity analyst T. Michael Walkley found through channel checks. Apple's newest phone still had the top sales spot on every major US carrier that sells it in December, keeping the first Android 4.0 phone at second place. As before, the only carrier where Apple didn't lead was T-Mobile, where it doesn't participate.
Sprint has reportedly halted its investments in the troubled startup LightSquared, amid concerns that the latter company will encounter further difficulty securing an operating license. In comments at a Citigroup conference, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse voiced hope that LightSquared can overcome interference issues and move forward with plans to launch a nationwide 4G network.
Sprint CEO Dan Hesse in his Citi conference remarks revealed that Sprint was throttling some of its cellular users. While the plans are technically unlimited, the top one percent of users are slowed down. He suggested that Sprint could "knock them off" if they truly misused the data, but it wasn't clear this had ever happened or was an active policy.
Sprint appears to be readying Samsung's Galaxy Nexus handset. Online advertisements point to the upcoming offering, which is touted as the company's "first 4G LTE phone," however the company has yet to make a formal announcement. The placements appear to have been published ahead of schedule, as the ads lead users to a broken link on Sprint's website.
Sprint chief Dan Hesse during his stint at the Citi media and telecoms conference confirmed the first cities for the carrier's LTE rollout. Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio will all get the faster 4G. These and six other areas will be covered by mid-2012.
Sprint made a minor contribution to the CES run-up with two special phone variants. The provider confirmed a white Epic 4G Touch and plans to have the special version in stores on January 8 for $200 on a contract. It keeps the 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen, dual-core 1.2GHz Exynos processor, WiMAX 4G, and Android 2.3 as its black cousin.
Verizon CFO Fran Shammo in remarks at a Citigroup media and telecoms conference revealed the highest-ever sales rate for iPhones on a US carrier. Slipping out information before the actual quarterly results, the executive mentioned 4.2 million iPhones being sold in the fall. The amount was nearly twice as many as the 2.3 million maximum Verizon had seen before and just above an all-time high of 4.1 million, set by AT&T last fall.
LG has leaked information on its upcoming Optimus 2 smartphone through its own US website. The 3.2-inch, 320x480 touchscreen phone will run Android 2.3. It would get a speed up but still stay modest, with an 800MHz processor instead of the original's 600MHz.
Sprint waited until Sunday to give LightSquared a 30-day extension on the FCC approval it needs to implement the LightSquared deal. Waiting until the day after the deadline expired, Sprint now gave the 4G provider until late January to overcome GPS interference claims. It's not clear LightSquared will necessarily make the deadline given a lack of firm updates.
