Xoom's 4G upgrade due May, to involve six-day factory return
updated 08:30 pm EST, Wed February 23, 2011
Moto Xoom 4G upgrade involves 6-day factory trip
The Motorola Xoom's upgrade to 4G has been given a rough timeframe in a discovery that has also shown a much more involved process than at first thought. Talking points for staff show the update is set to drop about 90 days from launch, which if firm would put it in late May. Although free, it also won't be a simple software upgrade; users will have to send the Xoom back to Motorola and wait as many as six business days, Droid-Life found.
Subscribers won't have to switch plans after transitioning to 4G, but Verizon is encouraging customers to reexamine their plans in case they expect their use to go up. Current plans start at $20 for 1GB and move up to $50 for 5GB as well as $80 for 10GB. Verizon hasn't said if it will change plans for any of its LTE devices in the future.
The upgrade won't be available for long and will only be available for half a year after the Xoom's upgrade first becomes available.
Upgrading to 4G is expected to give the Android 3.0 slate a huge lift, since it would dramatically improve the quality of two-way video chat and open the door to HD movie streaming or other features that depend heavily on a fast, low-lag connection.
