Sprint: tablets need phone features for 3G, 4G to take off
updated 07:25 pm EST, Wed November 9, 2011
Carrier CEO voices opinion on future of tablets
A Sprint executive suggests tablet makers need to outfit their devices with phone features before the 3G/4G models can gain a foothold in the market. The company's director of business product marketing, Jeff Adelmann, argues that users should be able to choose between answering a voice call on their smartphone or tablet.
"When [tablets] become a communication device, then you want ubiquitous connectivity, and Wi-Fi can’t provide that," Adelmann said at the Open Mobile Summit, as quoted by Light Reading.
Although Sprint does not have direct control over the features that will be added to upcoming tablets, the carrier is considering offering plans that share data between a tablet and a smartphone. Existing plans consider both 3G/4G-enabled devices to be deserving of entirely separate contracts, making it cheaper for most customers to use their smartphone as a router and buy a Wi-Fi tablet.
"If you have multiple devices, you want to use services across them," Adelmann added.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jul 2006
One Device
I just want one 7" tablet that will make phone calls. I'm tired of having to lug around several devices, when one properly outfitted device of a proper size (for me, anyway) would work perfectly. Do you hear that Apple, HTC Samsung and Motorola?
Let your voices be heard people. Contact all tablet and phone makers and let them know what you want.