AT&T finds love with Android
Summary: AT&T is falling in love with Android, now that the iPhone isn't exclusive
With AT&T's iPhone exclusivity set to expire on February 3rd, when Verizon begins offering the ability to pre-order the Verizon iPhone, AT&T is set to show some love to another OS: Android.
According to comments made by AT&T's CEO, the company will start "very aggressively" marketing Android-based phones.
If I were AT&T's marketing people, the first thing I would do is put up a video of someone simultaneously talking and surfing on an iPhone--with a Verizon customer not being able to do that. Then again, I think they did that previously, just not highlighting the iPhone. Since this is a known issue with Verizon's CDMA network, it would make sense to try to exploit that fact since AT&T continues to come under fire for its own network issues.
According to death grip issue, the iPhone 4 has been a fantastic member of my gadget family.
As for Android, I also sport the HTC EVO, which is a fantastic device on Sprint's network. I also know a ton of people who have the Droid X on Verizon, since they couldn't get an iPhone on Verizon at the time. They're more than happy with their phone, and have no intention of switching to an iPhone.
Are you jumping AT&T for Verizon in search of the new iPhone? Or are you already enjoying either the iPhone or another phone on AT&T?
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Talkback
RE: AT&T finds love with Android
Atrix is the most anticipated phone in 2011
Both Motorola and ATT can make Verizon regret its decision. Verizon had the best Motorola made and it had leg up on the competition, given it up with the advent of iphone. Iphone is old news and has brought nothing game changing to the table in two years now. Its ben overwhelmed by multiple companies promoting Android.
In the long run, no other Android manufacturer will trust Verizon with exclusivity. Verizon may end up regretting its decision, if both ATT and Motorola leverage the innovation lead and limit others from following, (eg Apple, HTC, LG, Samsung).
Overall innovation by companies manufacturing Android devices is dwarfing Apple's efforts, and their innovation pace its increasing, this is Apple's most dangerous enemy that, wil prevent then from future growth and Verizon's short term loss.
RE: AT&T finds love with Android
Am I the only one who thinks the Atrix is a stupid idea?
I have Bluetooth to tether with my laptop. Don't need a special dock...
RE: AT&T finds love with Android
Already moved up to Windows Phone, never going back to craptastic android
Sorry to rain on your parade...
But, apparently, AT&T is more concerned about shareholders and the profit than about promoting the phone that does not bring this same profit.
Please, do not try to come up with something that I did not say, like WP7 is not good, etc. I do not know since I never tried it - those big tiles are not in my taste.
My family and I consider ourselves happy campers since 5 EVO 4G on my family plan serve well in Miami & Seattle(4G). YMMV
RE: AT&T finds love with Android
RE: AT&T finds love with Android
This is likely a short lived advantage. It's probably still a differentiation on the iPhone 4, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it go away as a distinction in the iPhone 5.
According to reports, the training to Verizon reps on the HTC Thunderbolt has included showing simultaneous voice and data using both their 4G LTE, as well as a demo of the same using only their 3G service. It hasn't been clearly explained how - but rumors are that Verizon has been rolling out the SV-DO upgrades to their 3G service (SV-DO allows data and voice). If so, I would expect to see the ability on more and more Verizon phones going forward.
A photo of the training materials shows the statement "There is functionality in the Thunderbolt that allows simultaneous voice and data while on the VZW 3G network, however, we cannot promise the experience will be one that is consistent with our brand. As a result, do not reference this functionality as a benefit during your conversations with customers."
4G phones for VZW will have dual radios in them
Since Verizons LTE uses 700MHz and their legacy networks use 800/1900MHz, the new 4G phones will have dual radios in them which will allow for simultaneous voice and 4G data.
Before Verizon decided on LTE, the Qualcomm vision was to collapse the 1xRTT and EVDO networks into EVDV which would have also allowed for simultaneous voice/data.
I'll stick with my ATT Captivate Samsung Galaxy S
RE: AT&T finds love with Android
So you do like the iPhone UI? LOL. What a hypocrite you are.
Good luck with the GPS
I've got one, too. Love it except for the GPS, no Froyo.
Like my Captivate too
Its interesting to see all the subjective passionate arm-waving preferences of our fellow posters; too bad they can't stick to facts and realise that no one phone/platform is right for everyone.
RE: AT&T finds love with Android
Why push a product that is not selling
Why should AT&T or anybody else waste time and resources on a money loosing product? Smart people invest where the money is and not on "dead" products.
RE: AT&T finds love with Android
What? Go and ask any AT&T rep out there in AT&T stores. They tell you different story.
RE: AT&T finds love with Android
Sorry dude. You waste your time trolling. WP7 is selling and there's nothing you can do about it.
WP7 is not dead
Though MS really is doing a poor job marketing it. We'll see over the next year if this is a dead product...its way too early to say.
So then AT&T employees are lying, while you
I find that to be an unbelievable statement.
RE: AT&T finds love/hate with Android
When I bought my HTC Aria in August 2010, I was not aware that the Android 2.1 loaded on the phone does not support the bluetooth voice dialing features that even my ancient Moto Razr could do without blinking.
It took several weeks of research to identify that it was the OS that was the problem. AT&T rolled out an update that purported fixes for the bluetooth problems. That upgrade didn't solve any of the issues I still experience. I still cannot tap the call button on my bluetooth handset or car bluetooth adapter and get my phone to dial via voice command. In order to voice dial a call I must activate on the handset an app for voice dialing. So much for hands free use. I still have a handset that is incapable of accepting voice dial commands that dumb phones six years older can do.
Many of us rely on our phones for mobile office communication while behind the wheel. What I now have to do is use the old dumb handset while driving and use the new handset for everything else.
HTC says AT&T that has to give me the update. AT&T blames HTC for the delay. Versions of the HTC Aria in Europe, Asia, and even New Zealand are currently running Froyo and some even Gingerbread. Is it too much to ask to have an expensive phone do the simple tasks that a phone six years older could do?
I could risk bricking my phone by installing an adapted version of Froyo. But why do I have to risk bricking my phone to get the same capability available to users anywhere but America?