Verizon to release Android handsets
Update at 5 a.m. PDT Tuesday: Google and Verizon Wireless announced they are forming a partnership to "leverage" Verizon's 3G network and Google's Android platform to deliver mobile applications, services, and devices. They plan to co-develop "several Android-based devices," and Verizon will release Android handsets in the next few weeks, the companies said.
Google and Verizon Wireless plan to hold a joint press conference Tuesday morning on the eve of the CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment Show, they announced late Monday night.
Details were scarce, and a Google representative declined to comment on the nature of the conference. But given the timing and participants--Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam--it seems the companies are ready to talk about plans for Google's Android mobile operating system.
Verizon has yet to release an Android device. At present, the carrier leans on Research In Motion's BlackBerry smartphones, as well as Windows Mobile phones. But rumors have been building for months about Verizon hooking up with Google on a number of Android-powered phones from companies like Motorola and HTC: The Boy Genius Report reported Sunday that Best Buy plans to offer an Android device for Verizon's network.
It's likewise not clear whether we are talking about a smartphone, a Netbook, or something else entirely. It will be interesting to see how Verizon's traditional policy of tight control over the software that runs on its network meshes with Google's free-and-open approach to Android applications.
Tom Krazit writes about the ever-expanding world of Internet search, including Google, Yahoo, online advertising, and portals, as well as the evolution of mobile computing. He has written about traditional PC companies, chip manufacturers, and mobile computers, spending the last three years covering Apple. E-mail Tom. 
If Verizon doesn't come close to this or gives the impression that they will still nickel and dime us to death, they will have a number of customers that will make the jump to another carrier. Suffice to say, I'm not very hopeful that Verizon will come to the table with something similar to Sprint's offering.
For false, misleading, crippling and disabling features and functions on phones.
They will screw this up. Someway, somehow; make no mistake about it Verizon will disable functions and features then charge customers to re-enable those capabilities.
Verizon opening up their devices... good one... funniest thing I read all day.
That was the promise of Android way back when , that it would be found on all sorts of internet connected devices. So many possibilities !
Apple's chief complaint against the Google Voice application was "The application has not been approved because, as submitted for review, it appears to alter the iPhone?s distinctive user experience by replacing the iPhone?s core mobile telephone functionality and Apple user interface with its own user interface for telephone calls¿"
And that's ok, because we all know that the real reason Apple won't let Google Voice through is that they are scared out of their mind that Android and Google Voice will eat their iPhone lunch over the long term. Apple can't win the fight over the long term, but they sure are willing to say and do anything in the short term to stop the advance of Google.
I hope the Kent and the CNET cellphone crew call out Verizon if they decide to lock down these devices.
T-Mobile should be commended, for their leadership in bringing Android to market in the U.S., and Sprint's HTC Hero really does look like an absolute winner, but having Verizon on board could be what really gives Android a major boost in consumer devices (smartphones, tablets, eReaders, ...).
The tech world is INCREDIBLY exciting, these days!
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- by trueb1tch October 10, 2009 8:48 AM PDT
- yay!!!!
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