Sprint CEO says Android not good enough yet

While speaking in Washington last week,Sprint CEO Dan Hesse said that Sprint is not ready for the Google Android OS just yet. According to Reuters, Hesse said that at present Android is not "good enough to put the Sprint brand on it."

Yet, Hesse promised that the carrier would sell a phone powered by Android "at some time in the future." Sprint is a member of the Open Handset Alliance, which developed Android in partnership in Google. Hesse did not elaborate on when that would be or on what kind of Android handset it would sell.

Personally, I think Sprint needs Android more than Android needs it. As I wrote earlier this month, Sprint has done a poor job with its brand development over the past year. You don't really know what the company stands for, and its selection of phones and services is relatively uninspiring. An Android phone could only give the carrier a little cachet and serve as an alternative to T-Mobile's G1. Sure, I'll agree that the Android we see on the G1 didn't knock our socks off, but it's a good start on an intriguing concept.

[etiahwhite]

what else is new....Sprint is never on the cutting edge or breaking ground with it's phone selection. There always behind other companies. That is the chief reason I left sprint a little over a year ago. They really need to step it up and get something new and different and exclusive.

[stigmattaman]

I think Sprint gets a bit of a bum wrap. Kent's right bout their horrible past, but Hesse seems to have the right mindset. Te Simply everything plans rocks if that's what you're looking for. Not having to keep count of your minutes, texts, or anything is a joy.

Their handsets aren't that exciting, but they do have the HTC Touch Diamond, and some good BlackBerrys. The network's ok, and I was impressed with their 3G coverage. They'll have an Android phone soon enough, but Kent you know how important multiple carriers will be for widespread Android adoption. To say Sprint needs Android more than Android needs Sprint is an exaggeration in my mind.

[DarkHawke]

The problem isn't so much the OS but the hardware. Android looks too much like it's aping a regular computer's desktop for my taste; Apple got it right by creating a much more spare and direct layout, understanding the need for clarity on a small display. But really, it's the hardware of the G1 that's unimpressive. The looks are blah, it misses almost as many baseline smart/media phone functions as the iPhone, and you have to use an ADAPTER to hook up headphones? Without the cool design and the elan of the iPhone's hardware/OS synthesis, it's an also-ran. Better hardware and some true diversity in the third-party apps will distinguish Android phones in the future, so Mr. Hesse has it right, but not in the right way, IMO.

[storm14k]

Haven't really had a problem with Android bringing the dekstop to a small screen. They have done an excellent job. Netbooks and smartphones at some point will merge. The full desktop experience will trump the limited experience when that happens.

[gminetos]

"Personally, I think Sprint needs Android more than Android needs it.....You don't really know what the company stands for, and its selection of phones and services is relatively uninspiring."

Sprint hater. What a set of idiotic statements. Sprint's been around for 10+ years and Android is a v1.0 tech debutante. You have no credibility for saying something so ridiculous. In fact, I DO know what the company stands for and its selection of phones is every bit as good as any other rival - it's got all form factors and was the FIRST US carrier to introduce the HTC Mogul and the HTC Diamond series. So stop the warped, biased hating on Sprint and try to find a real issue to blog about, idgit ! Jeez.

[dashingemt]

yikes, got quite upset there didnt ya.

[gminetos]

Yeh, it touches a nerve when tech bloggers (who should know better) make sweeping and vapid generalizations like this. Didn't realize it was so harsh till afterwards, but golly gee (a safe Palin-ism).

[storm14k]

Maybe you haven't noticed but Sprint is mud. People are leaving in droves. Personally most people I know on sprint can't wait for their contract to end. Android will have more clout than Sprint. They do need android more than it needs them.

[sep352]

Actually, Sprint does need Android, but Android would benefit from being used by Sprint. I've been on Sprint since 2000 and seen unfulfilled promises, experiments with nickle and diming customers, a misguided major acquisition which sucked up capital that should have been used to secure better coverage in weakly covered areas, a huge delay in rolling out 3G which, though good, is still far less than originally promised. To be fair, I have also seen a reversal of bad policies that has improved customer service of late and the basic unlimited internet access deal is not bad at all. If they -- and everyone else -- could just make SMS nearly free (for Sprint this is a problem because of their network, but they still need to be competitive here) and stop gouging for monthly excesses of plan minutes -- that would help too. But look, how can you say that Android is premature and support Microsoft Mobile? It too is now improving, but by version 6 it ought to have been flawless -- which it certainly is not. Sprint needs Android because it needs to recapture its attraction as a technology leader. And besides, while the smartphone/pda share of the cell phone market is growing, it is still not driving the system just yet and there is no real risk in letting the geeks have a new toy for the sake of creating some buzz and excitement. If Android could claim another carrier then it would help them become more widely attractive to remaining carriers and become stronger among handset makers. Everyone would win. Dan Hesse would be well advised to worry about structural problems and let Android be a choice for the geeks to make -- not him.

[JCPayne]

HA! And yeah if Sprint was ever right about anything in the last 4-5 years they wouldn't be talking about seeing how much they could get by selling/spinning off Nextel and Wimax.

[bhain3s]

People...the G1 comes with USB stereo headphones, that have a mic connected to them also...this is 2008 we are getting around all the nonsense additional hardware...the usb port is becoming more and more usable across different accesories...charger, headphones, FM/Stereo devices, you name it usb is probably going to have an adapter for it...

Im sick of this no headphone jack BS, YOU DONT NEED ONE...IT A PHONE! plus they have the usb headphones so who cares...

[jgvillan]

I own an AT&T 8525, as it also has just that one USB port. I can see your argument, as the USB is a multi-function fort for both stereo headsets, tethering, and power. It is a standard that I can't live without, unlick thomse from Samsung. However, I would still like to have that audio port for this simple reason. If I'm driving, using my phone as an MP3, I would like to use that audio port so that i can still hook up my car charger to it. At least the 8525 came with a USB splitter, so I can use both at the same time. I dont think the G1 comes with that and that is what part of the fuss is about.

[bousozoku]

Considering what I've seen of Android so far, it's far from ready. Since Sprint is in a rather precarious position at the moment and they have products that work just fine, they should continue to work with Google and prepare for a phone offering when Android is ready.

Yes, it would be nice to see alternatives to the phone at T-Mobile, but Sprint is doing just fine with what they have.

Perhaps, c|net should think before they write, at least once.

[jekter]

Former Sprint Customer says "Sprint not good enough, try any other carrier."

[hameiri]

I think an Android phone would be great for Sprint. I would be even better if it had Direct Connect too!

[rotimiwaddy]

I cant wait until this comes out! Hopefully this will come out before December of this year when I plan to switch over to Sprint. I guess we'll have to see.