Latest HTC Update Hints at Phantom Verizon Phone

[dgstorm]

HTC Sync was updated a few days ago, and a clever user captured some images from it. Amongst them was the picture above of a phone with no capacitive buttons and no other identifiers whatsoever. It's possible this is just a generic image used as a 'placeholder' for devices that don't have there own design yet, but then why would the picture be there in the Sync if there was no phone it was a 'placeholder' for? Mystery new phone from HTC or logistics error? Speculate in the forums.

Source: Phandroid

 

[electric6]

looks like a cdma variant of the aria

 

[FlawlessVictory]

Are there plans for HTC to release a sequel to the Incredible with the same 3.7" size screen? It's frustrating seeing all these new phones come out and they all are at 4.3". It's possible the Merge is still coming but that's saddled with Bing. And I refuse to purchase and show support to any phone with Bing even if it is possible to be deBinged.

And I can't imagine the 3.7" inch screen is dead when the iPhone is doing the business that it does and that one is at 3.5". Hopefully there is a Droid 3 down the road and that retains its same screen size but outside of that I don't have much to look forward too it seems.

Size is very important to me(that's what she said).

 

[Martin030908]

... I'm gonna go with place holder image

 

[kodiak799]

I mean, I somehow doubt the Thunderbolt is all HTC comes out with for VZW this year. They'll have at least 1 other high-end phone for the second-half of the year.

 

[Martin030908]

We're not going to see an influx of Android devices on VZW this year like last. Maybe 1 or 2 from each manufacturer is my guess.

The DROID line isn't going to release a ton of devices like last year, 2 or 3... again a guess.

 

[edbdroid]

looks like a cdma variant of the aria

Yeah, that CDMA antenna is quite obvious! :blink:

 

[edbdroid]

We're not going to see an influx of Android devices on VZW this year like last. Maybe 1 or 2 from each manufacturer is my guess.

The DROID line isn't going to release a ton of devices like last year, 2 or 3... again a guess.

Well, there's the rub. Do we want a bunch of half-arsed devices like the ones that the manufacturers pawned off on us last year?

Obviously, the iPhone announcement is going to shake things up. And with the inevitable iPhone LTE device that will be coming, it's gonna get tight. But that's (theoretically) just the thing. Now that Android's free ride on Verizon is over, hopefully we'll see more competition. Not necessarily more devices (I could've done fine without the Ally, Vortex, and Citrus, just for example), but *better* devices, as now there's a strong opponent.

I'm not hoping for more.

I'm hoping for *superior*.

 

[kodiak799]

We're not going to see an influx of Android devices on VZW this year like last. Maybe 1 or 2 from each manufacturer is my guess.

The DROID line isn't going to release a ton of devices like last year, 2 or 3... again a guess.

Not sure about that, not until the arms race slows down. Otherwise, from a profitability standpoint, you would absolutely be correct because the shorter the sales cycle the more development costs lower the ROI.

I'd expect HTC, Moto, LG and Samsung each to release at least 2 high-end phones this year, and might get an entrant from Erickson. Then the question becomes if they will also release some phones targeted at the middle and lower market segments, or just discount older models (which seems to be the case only from the contract perspective, not retail).

AT&T will supposedly be releasing 12 android phones this year - we saw, I think, 2 from CES. Have not heard what VZW will release, but we saw, I think, 4 at CES and those are all slated for Q2. They will have at least 4 phones, I'm sure, for the second half of the year.

 

[kodiak799]

The market is also expanding: You've got roughly 3 popular screen sizes (3.5-3.7, 4, 4.3-4.5)...You've got dual core in the premium segment...You now have LTE to contend with even while 2/3 of users (and most of the footprint) remains 3G...Heck, many still seem to want their keyboards.

There is no way a single phone can compete across all those segments, obviously. That's where VZW plays a role in delivering top phones to suit each segment, but even within a segment (and there are at least 3, arguably 6 now with LTE, and likely more if you really draw it all up) a single phone is not capabe of being everyone's "dream" phone. A full line-up probably entails no less than 8 high-end phones just to hit most (but not all) feature demands across the market.

 

[johnnieeve]

Put me on the list for a physical keyboard and larger (4.3+) screen size. I realize the trend appears to be moving away from sliders, but a properly laid out keyboard along with duo core chips and 4G download speeds will provide a solid laptop replacement. But I agree with edbdroid, give us "Superior".

 

[EgooEspada]

This is probably just a placeholder, but interesting to see something else might arrive on Verizon Wireless? Maybe the true Incredible HD?

 

[Ferris.]

No front facing camera. I would think that on any LTE or higher-end HTC, it would be a must at this point.

My vote is placeholder.

 

[Dark_Jedi]

I thought the Incredible HD was the Thunderbolt? And that phone is beast! The Bionic can suck it because no one likes motoblur..it ruins all droid phones it touches.

 

[Martin030908]

We're not going to see an influx of Android devices on VZW this year like last. Maybe 1 or 2 from each manufacturer is my guess.

The DROID line isn't going to release a ton of devices like last year, 2 or 3... again a guess.

Not sure about that, not until the arms race slows down. Otherwise, from a profitability standpoint, you would absolutely be correct because the shorter the sales cycle the more development costs lower the ROI.

I'd expect HTC, Moto, LG and Samsung each to release at least 2 high-end phones this year, and might get an entrant from Erickson. Then the question becomes if they will also release some phones targeted at the middle and lower market segments, or just discount older models (which seems to be the case only from the contract perspective, not retail).

AT&T will supposedly be releasing 12 android phones this year - we saw, I think, 2 from CES. Have not heard what VZW will release, but we saw, I think, 4 at CES and those are all slated for Q2. They will have at least 4 phones, I'm sure, for the second half of the year.

I'm with ya on this train of thought. But with the iPhone on VZW now I don't see them pushing multiple Android phones... I think we'll see it streamline in the future... but for now fire away Android, keep them coming!