Yesterday, Sprint executive David Owens dropped a ton of great news for Sprint customers in a live chat. Some of the news isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s still good to know and get confirmation from Sprint directly. Read on for the list of items that were mentioned.
- Google Android OS updates are coming for the HTC Hero and Samsung Moment. While he didn’t specify a version – 1.6 or 2.0 – HTC has previously confirmed that they’re working on an Android 2.0 update for the Hero.
- Combination CDMA/GSM Android phones are also “a possibility but nothing this year.”
- They’re considering an Android phone with a built-in MiFi-type router.
- Android phones will get less expensive “as we see volume across the industry.”
- Lots of HTC and BlackBerry phones coming next year. HTC phones “will be on the Android platform.”
- Sprint will “add Wi-Fi to [the BlackBerry] Tour” and have other Wi-Fi BlackBerry smartphones going forward.
- They’re testing Windows Mobile 6.5 updates for the HTC Touch Pro2 and other Windows phones; “plan for early 2010.”
- They want Windows Mobile 7.0 “as soon as possible, but dependent on Microsoft.”
- Expect WiMAX phones next year.
- No tethering for phones that require Everything plans (such as all smartphones) from here on out.
We already know about the updates coming to the Hero and Wi-Fi for the Tour, but it’s pretty cool to see that WiMAX phones are on the horizon. Hopefully that means a faster rollout of the 4G service. Owens also mentions more BlackBerry phones coming next year — could that mean that Sprint is also getting a 85xx series Curve just like Verizon? It could be the Wi-Fi BlackBerry he’s talking about when “going forward.” Lastly, for travelers, having more CDMA/GSM world phones with Android is pretty good news, even if we have to wait until next year.
