macnn/electronista
11/01/2007, 1:15pm, EDT
Thursday, November 1stVerizon's iPhone rival to be a downgrade?
The expected launch of the Samsung F700 touchscreen phone with Verizon may reduce the device's functionality by the time it reaches American shores, according to purported internal sources in contact with Phone Arena. The new information corroborates earlier reports which suggested Verizon would use the handset as a response to the iPhone, but indicates both a new name and a reduced feature set: the Americanized version would be called the U940 and shed the 3-megapixel camera in favor of a 2-megapixel model. As before, the U940 would need to adopt CDMA phone network support and EVDO access to function on the new network.
Whether any substantial changes to the touchscreen interface would be made for the launch was unknown. The F700 is known in Europe as the Croix courtesy of a cross-shaped menu system. However, Verizon is known to demand interface changes to highlight its services and may include a new front-end rather than the stock Samsung layout. This newest report maintains that the US carrier will release the phone sometime in early 2008. Costs are still unknown but should climb above that of the less professionally-oriented LG Voyager.
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Can you imagine what a Verizon iPhone would be like? First it would have a bright, painful-to-the-eyes red Verizon background. The four icons along the bottom would point to four different software rental demos. YouTube would be a $5/month software rental. Same goes for Photos. Maps would have GPS but would also cost $5/month.
The iPod and store will be combined into one app and every song you loaded up would have a link to buy more for only $2.99 per song. Again videos won't play unless you pay for the $5/month video player rental.
Syncing wouldn't be allowed. You have to bring your phone in to copy your phone book to another phone. Or you can pay $49.99 for the USB cable and CD with crappy software that will never again be updated.
That's why my family and I are saying 'so long' to Verizon December 1. Crippled phones, expensive data plans, and no roll-over minutes. Sounds like a great deal...no wait, maybe not.