HTC Thunderbolt Release Date

[lakas187]

Man, haven't checked in here in a while...still not really any new, worthwhile, or confirmed information yet I see besides a couple screen shots. Bummer, I expected to at least have an announcement by now. I read in another forum that a VZW rep said the gag order has been removed, has anyone called their store recently to find out if they are talking about the TB or giving a date yet? I'm going to call both my BB and VZW store tomorrow to see if they have any "real" info yet.

Possible release dates still: (none "confirmed" or "hard")
Feb. 20, 21, 24, 28, early March? (not likely), or anytime in between if BB/VZW get them in stock.
I think a lot of people have been getting conflicting dates recently because it is possible that shipments will trickle in at different times for different stores (big vs. little) and cities (have LTE yet?), and depending on whether a BB or VZW store. Either that, or the actual date keeps changing for various reasons and only certain insiders have access to the most current information, and people further down the chain still have old information.

Possible reasons for "delay" still: (I used quotes since technically there has been no "official" announcement from VZW yet to be delayed)
-iPhone (having some time to itself without competition vs. 14-day return window & fear of exchanges)
-Skype (removing it, as evidenced by reference being removed from HTC site vs. waiting to get it working for release)
-LTE/3G handoff issue (as earlier mentioned by blackmanx)
-Samsung Stealth/LTE Phone (read on some random blog it could have something to do with it)
-Xoom (don't want simultaneous product launch on same day, not enough CSRs on hand)
-Shortage of supply (don't want another problem like with the Incredible release, not enough ready to get around to all stores yet)
-etc...did I miss any?
-some combination of the above

I hope Best Buy will know a date one way or the other on Sunday when their advertisement goes effective. The stores will have to have gotten them on the trucks by tomorrow to go on sale Sunday (no deliveries that day), but I'm not holding my breath for that to happen.

Verizon should really speak up and let us know the deal with all the leaked "dates," Twitter and Facebook teasers, BB and VZW screen shots, advertisements, dummy units, accessories, commercials, hands-on reviews, etc. showing up everywhere. The communication has been quite poor regarding this phone, needless to say.
VZW corporate executives are probably just sitting in their cushy offices video chatting on Skype and surfing the internet and downloading at LTE speeds on their TBs laughing at all of us geeks and idiots obsessing over a phone release and generating a huge amount of free marketing for them across multiple blogs and forums. You're welcome, jerks, now give me my phone!

I can't believe I've been following this thread from the beginning, and we really don't have anything concrete to report. I'll add what I found out yesterday to the pile...

I went to my VZW Store friday afternoon to get one of my employees and iPhone. While there I asked the guy about this TB, he seemed pretty confident that the delays were due to a high demand, and they're afraid that they won't have enough phones to supply thus frustrating their customers. He claimed they were trying to avoid what happened w/ the INC launch, where all the phones were gone, and then you had to wait a month for the next wave of them.

I said that I heard the head of HTC said they were shipping this week for a 24th launch day. He had heard that as well, but seemed to think that they haven't shipped yet, and they are still pumping out more phones to satisfy demand. The delay seems to be real, I highly doubt we see a 24th launch day.

As for anything BB says... I've been hanging on their words for too long. don't. believe. it.

I hope they are fully stocked by the time they launch. A shortage would make a lot of people very very upset. Especially if their is a 30 day wait!!!!!!! I have my money ready to pre order direct from vzw, not bb. All that bb has done is create a riot..

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[derekmiller12]

I hope you'll forgive me for veering slightly off topic. But I'm a low tech cell phone user. I've owned an LG enV3 for 2 years and was about to upgrade to a smart phone when my NE2 came up on 2/13. And I'll probably keep the next one for 2 years.

I had settled on the Incredible because I like the Sense UI the best vs Motorola's and Samsung's UIs and I don't buy iAnything . The lower battery life is moot as I'm a very occasional user. And then I thought to check what was coming out soon by HTC on Verizon and found this thread (I had no idea there were all these forums about cell phones). I've been following for 2 weeks and recently been reading folks lament about this and that being removed from the phone's capabilities.

I need a phone to make the rare phone call when I'm not at home or the office (I average 20 minutes per month), text, occasionally look something up on the internet, occasionally go and check my email on the internet (I'm NOT having my email sent to my phone), occasionally shoot some pictures and video and upload those to facebook and I guess if I can load some music to it that'd be nice. I live in an area that has 3G, but even then, there are LOTS of dead spots (and Verizon is better than any other carrier in the area and I get a discount on my service due to my employer). And we'll be amongst the last to get 4G. But I like the idea of a nice big screen and I want the Sense UI.

Any reason not to just patiently wait for the Thunderbolt to release (not that patience is a virtue I have or I wouldn't be following a 355 page thread about a release date hoping to hear something soon )?

Thanks.

May I ask why you dont want your email sent to your phone? I am new to the android market, TB will be my first droid since now I have a Storm 2..

 

[derekmiller12]

Im just trying to understand that if BB has that ad that comes out tomorrow that features the TB with a "New" tag on it, wouldnt BB have to have the phone? I didn't think you could advertise for something without having the product there to sell unless it has a date that it says when its going to release, which it dont.. Im just wondering that if the ad comes out people are going to be going to BB wondering where the phone is and I doubt BB would want to turn people away saying "oh now we don't have the phone yet, it doesnt release till a different date". IMO thats going to upset some people.. Any incite?

 

[dbgoolsby]

I went to my VZW Store friday afternoon to get one of my employees and iPhone. While there I asked the guy about this TB, he seemed pretty confident that the delays were due to a high demand, and they're afraid that they won't have enough phones to supply thus frustrating their customers. He claimed they were trying to avoid what happened w/ the INC launch, where all the phones were gone, and then you had to wait a month for the next wave of them.

There is more truth to this than you know ...

 

[leehblanc]

I went to my VZW Store friday afternoon to get one of my employees and iPhone. While there I asked the guy about this TB, he seemed pretty confident that the delays were due to a high demand, and they're afraid that they won't have enough phones to supply thus frustrating their customers. He claimed they were trying to avoid what happened w/ the INC launch, where all the phones were gone, and then you had to wait a month for the next wave of them.

There is more truth to this than you know ...

Wow. So NONE of us get it because ALL of us can't get it? Verizon is my High School teacher! "If you don't have enough Thunderbolts for everybody then spit yours out!"

I love that Verizon suddenly "cares" about the customer. They want to get this phone right, they want to have enough for everybody. Where was this philosophy when they released the Dinc? The DX? Hell, even the iPhone was shipping on the 18th if you didn't preorder. As far as problems... Fascinate, anyone? They released a phone that couldn't put your within a mile of your real location on GPS! They released a 2.2 update for the DX that broke threaded text messaging, which was circa 1998!! Suddenly they give a ****?! Sorry if I take this with a pile of bullsh*t covered in HUGE grains of salt...

 

[XKXDISTURBEDXKX]

Im just trying to understand that if BB has that ad that comes out tomorrow that features the TB with a "New" tag on it, wouldnt BB have to have the phone? I didn't think you could advertise for something without having the product there to sell unless it has a date that it says when its going to release, which it dont.. Im just wondering that if the ad comes out people are going to be going to BB wondering where the phone is and I doubt BB would want to turn people away saying "oh now we don't have the phone yet, it doesnt release till a different date". IMO thats going to upset some people.. Any incite?

Well, what I said earlier (which I'm repeating from someone who's very reliable) is that the TB has a greater thance than you think of hitting the streets on the 21st for BB, VZW won't get it till at least the 24th, as of right now this phone will hit BB and VZW by at least the end of the month so don't worry, right now this phone will be making a debut this month, if something changes ill tell you all I'm not the source, I'm simply repeating what he says
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[mth04]

The technology to talk and surf at the same time on a 3g CDMA network does not exist. If it did, this capability would be a selling point for all of the existing smartphones and upcoming ones...dx2, etc... It is only (lightly) mentioned with 4g phone's. Hence, a 3g and 4g network is required to do this. 3g doesnt have the bandwidth to do both at the same time.

It does exist, and it's called SVDO. Don't believe me? How about Engadget?

HTC Thunderbolt might be getting simultaneous voice and data on 3G after all -- Engadget

New lease on life: 3GPP2 publishes CDMA2000 1X Advanced spec -- Engadget Mobile

tl;dr "Perhaps more interestingly, the CDG is talking up simultaneous 1X Voice and EV-DO data -- SVDO"

Good stuff right there! I do not frequent Engadget very much and missed those articles. Looks like it has potential! Nothing definitive as the the poster I quoted implied.

This is an unadvertised feature. Look for data and voice on the 3g network when the bolt arrives... and um....its getting closer as the days go by

 

[91zcpe]

It does exist, and it's called SVDO. Don't believe me? How about Engadget?

HTC Thunderbolt might be getting simultaneous voice and data on 3G after all -- Engadget

New lease on life: 3GPP2 publishes CDMA2000 1X Advanced spec -- Engadget Mobile

tl;dr "Perhaps more interestingly, the CDG is talking up simultaneous 1X Voice and EV-DO data -- SVDO"

Good stuff right there! I do not frequent Engadget very much and missed those articles. Looks like it has potential! Nothing definitive as the the poster I quoted implied.

This is an unadvertised feature. Look for data and voice on the 3g network when the bolt arrives... and um....its getting closer as the days go by

Does data and voice mean all devices that are out now? or will it just be the bolt for now?

 

[leonozug]

It does exist, and it's called SVDO. Don't believe me? How about Engadget?

HTC Thunderbolt might be getting simultaneous voice and data on 3G after all -- Engadget

New lease on life: 3GPP2 publishes CDMA2000 1X Advanced spec -- Engadget Mobile

tl;dr "Perhaps more interestingly, the CDG is talking up simultaneous 1X Voice and EV-DO data -- SVDO"

Good stuff right there! I do not frequent Engadget very much and missed those articles. Looks like it has potential! Nothing definitive as the the poster I quoted implied.

This is an unadvertised feature. Look for data and voice on the 3g network when the bolt arrives... and um....its getting closer as the days go by

Sounds good Miami!! Personally, I am ignoring all the nay-sayers, gossip, and general B.S. going around. Miami knows more than the majority of us do about the 'Bolt, so this news is good to hear. Looking forward to seeing just how good this 3G voice and data works. Verizon may have an ace up their sleeve with the 'Bolt!! dancedroid

 

[sansavi]

so whats the word? are the reliables still standing by 2-24 or is it "this month"?

 

[Sara77]

I just called BB and asked when they would have it... they have always been somewhat 'hush hush' and have always said 'tenatively' and he said that they HAVE given them a release/street date of the 24th and that I can come in to lick it up then... this was the manager of the mobile dep't as well... I know a lot of you aren't putting much stock into what BB has to say and I felt the same way after having to wait past the 14th but they seemed unsure - he flat out announced it. Everything really seems to be pointing to the 24th!

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[EgooEspada]

Good stuff right there! I do not frequent Engadget very much and missed those articles. Looks like it has potential! Nothing definitive as the the poster I quoted implied.

This is an unadvertised feature. Look for data and voice on the 3g network when the bolt arrives... and um....its getting closer as the days go by

Sounds good Miami!! Personally, I am ignoring all the nay-sayers, gossip, and general B.S. going around. Miami knows more than the majority of us do about the 'Bolt, so this news is good to hear. Looking forward to seeing just how good this 3G voice and data works. Verizon may have an ace up their sleeve with the 'Bolt!! dancedroid

I don't know how his comment gave you anything more than what we already knew for a while.

Sent from my Droid

 

[leonozug]

This is an unadvertised feature. Look for data and voice on the 3g network when the bolt arrives... and um....its getting closer as the days go by

Sounds good Miami!! Personally, I am ignoring all the nay-sayers, gossip, and general B.S. going around. Miami knows more than the majority of us do about the 'Bolt, so this news is good to hear. Looking forward to seeing just how good this 3G voice and data works. Verizon may have an ace up their sleeve with the 'Bolt!! dancedroid

I don't know how his comment gave you anything more than what we already knew for a while.

Sent from my Droid

I just like to hear info from a source like Miami, other than people sitting on a couch speculating about rumors and gossip basically. You know what I mean? lol

 

[jarnoldsr]

If it releases at BB before Verizon that would be highly unlikely if not impossible!

1. Verizon already screwed its salesman with releasing the iphone one week before for presales! If it would have done the release aka over the net and at the stores at the same time they would have made alot of salesman very happy since they have quotas and get paid commission. I walked into several verizon stores on the 10th and the stores were loaded with salsman with nothing to do, everybody who wanted one baught them online the prior week. Those people weren't happy about what happened, verizon had speculated having alot of people switching over and that didn't happen.

If Best buy would get the phone before Verizon we would have tthe same situation. People would be buying the phone from Best Buy leaving the salesman that work for Verizon taking a hit so short a time after the iphone screwup, thats not going to happen.

The phones are already there I seen them, I said this earlier.

That leaves two reasons for not selling them


1. Verizon stocking up so they don't sell out in the first couple of hours. This is possible tho it would be the one of the first times they concerned themselves with this issue, they did it with the original droid but caught with there pants down with the X and the Incredible.

2. Software Issues doesn't make sense, but with all the rumors abourt skype this seems the most logical plus its kind of embarrasing with all the hype they did about it at tthe WMC.

Most likely its a combination of both and if thats true it won't be released at one before the other. Best Buys fine print will cover them legallly this isn't there first rodeo that's for sure and when the stores open after the flyer comes out tomorrow they will just blame Verizon for not having the phone and they will tell you the 24th or the 28th.

 

[dbgoolsby]

sounds good miami!! Personally, i am ignoring all the nay-sayers, gossip, and general b.s. Going around. Miami knows more than the majority of us do about the 'bolt, so this news is good to hear. Looking forward to seeing just how good this 3g voice and data works. Verizon may have an ace up their sleeve with the 'bolt!! Dancedroid

i don't know how his comment gave you anything more than what we already knew for a while.

Sent from my droid

i just like to hear info from a source like miami, other than people sitting on a couch speculating about rumors and gossip basically. You know what i mean? Lol

+100000000