Leaked Motorola roadmap reveals upcoming phones

A leaked roadmap from Motorola may have detailed upcoming Android smartphones from the manufacturer. According to a Wednesday Dialaphone slip, the image shows a version of the Droid handset will ship early next year, but with a touchscreen only instead of carrying the Droid's QWERTY sliding keyboard. This handset is also expected to get an 8-megapixel camera rather than the imminent Droid's 5-megapixel shooter.

The touchscreen-only Droid is expected to sport a 3.7-inch screen with a 480x854 resolution and HSUPA high-speed network compatibility, implying that any US version would come to AT&T or T-Mobile. It also promises to output 720p video through its wireless HDMI link and to bring DLNA media player support.

Another device, called the Motus, will also have HSUPA network compatibility along with a Wi-Fi connection. It appears more likely to be a mid-range phone with a smaller 3.1-inch, 480x320 touchscreen. A 5-megapixel camera is its only other known feature.

The Motorola Zeppelin will have identical specs, which could be an indication of the same handset sold under different names to two wireless providers, or that the specs are just a placeholder and will change before the handsets make it to production.

The leak reveals the Droid should be out in October, while the Motus and Zeppelin are due for an early 2010 release; it's unclear if these are still the case as the Droid is unofficially anticipated in December. Also, the roadmap says the Droid should cost the equivalent of about $480 when it is released, though this is likely to be without any carrier subsidies.

By Electronista Staff