Sprint confirms LTE Galaxy Nexus, LG Viper, Sierra hotspot
updated 04:50 pm EST, Mon January 9, 2012
Sprint unveils first LTE devices
Sprint on Monday ended some rumors and detailed its first three LTE devices. At the front is its own version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. The Android 4.0 flagship will be identical to the Verizon model but will be the only version so far to be officially blessed with Google Wallet support, letting it use its NFC to pay at MasterCard's PayPass readers in the US.
The LG Viper sits more in the mid-tier. It too will have a dual-core 1.2GHz (though different manufacturer) processor, but will trim down with a four-inch, 480x800 display and both five-megapixel back as well as VGA (0.3-megapixel) front cameras. LG will still have room for NFC to give it the first Google Wallet support outside of a Nexus phone. Android 2.3 will ship mostly stock with the exception of Sprint ID for OS-wide theming.
Rounding out the group is the Sierra Wireless Tri-Network Hotspot, a device unique to Sprint: it mixes both 3G over EVDO with 4G on WiMAX and LTE, making sure that it won't go obsolete or drop to 3G very quickly. It can handle up to eight Wi-Fi users and can take up to 32GB of shared storage.
Release dates weren't given out at this stage, but Sprint has said it hopes to have its first LTE devices ready in mid-year.
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When you see the introductions of ALL of these non Apple phones, you KNOW a lot of them are going to BOMB! There's just way too much variety out there. It is like a grocery store, only more expensive.
Why would ANYONE want to buy one of these OFFBRAND phones that will probably be gone in 6 months. And we've seen the kinds of support Google gives them.