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Android Dominates Q4 Smartphone Launches

NEW YORK – The launch of the
iPhone 4S might have captured most
of the wireless industry’s attention,
but major carriers were not shy about
expanding their portfolios of Android
phones from the low to high ends in
time for holiday sales.

New models will be available for
prepaid and postpaid service.

AT&T, for example, unveiled five
new Android smartphones for fourthquarter
availability, enabling it to exceed
its early-year commitment to
launch a dozen Android devices in
calendar 2011.

Verizon Wireless expanded its 4G
LTE handset selection to six with the
Oct. 13 launch of its first 4G phone
with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

T-Mobile announced two new
smartphones targeted to first-time
smartphone buyers.

And Virgin Mobile, one of Sprint’s prepaid brands, expanded
its selection of Android smartphones to five SKUs
with the launch of an LG slider and its first HTC-made
smartphone.

Here’s what the carriers announced:

AT&T:

In unveiling five new Android smartphones, AT&T
will expand its selection of Android devices, to 19 in the
fourth quarter, including two tablets already available.

The new smartphones include the Motorola Atrix 2 and
Samsung Captivate Glide, both joining AT&T’s premium
Android smartphone lineup and featuring the 21Mbps version
of AT&T’s 4G HSPA+ wireless technology. The Pantech
Pocket features 4G 14.4Mbps HSPA+ technology.
And the quintet’s two 3G phones are the
Samsung DoubleTime and ZTE-made AT&T Avail, which
will be the second Android phone for AT&T’s GoPhone
prepaid service.

At press time, AT&T disclosed the price and availability
date only of the Atrix 2, which was to become available in direct
and indirect channels Oct. 16 at $99.99 without rebate.

The Atrix 2, like the original Atrix launched earlier this year
at $199, features dual-core 1GHz processor, 4G HSPA+,
and 2.1GHz-band HSPA+ operation in foreign markets, but
the new model adds 1080p video capture versus 720p,
slightly larger qHD screen at 4.3 inches vs. 4 inches, and
Android 2.3 OS compared to the 2.2 OS featured in the original Atrix during its launch.

Atrix 2 also features include enterprise-ready
features and, like the original Atrix, connects
to an optional Lap Dock 100, which takes the
shape of a laptop PC.

For its part, the Samsung Captivate Glide features
a thin slide-from-the-side QWERTY keyboard,
1GHz dual-core processor, Android 2.3,
4-inch WVGA Super AMOLED screen, 8-megapixel
flash camera with 1080p video capture,
front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera, 2.1GHzband
HSPA+ operation in foreign markets and
enterprise features.

Another Samsung phone, the DoubleTime,
features 3G, a flip-open QWERTY keyboard and
dual 3.2-inch touchscreen. Other features include
Android 2.2 OS and 600MHz Qualcomm
processor.

The 4G Pantech Pocket is a slim Android 2.3
device focused on social entertainment and messaging.
It features a 4-inch SVGA touchscreen,
5-megapixel camera with HD video capture, Wi-
Fi and international 2.1GHz-band operation.

ZTE’s Avail will feature a 3.5-inch touchscreen,
5-megapixel camera, Android 2.3, HSPA+ operation
in the foreign 2.1GHz band and Wi-Fi.

T-Mobile:

For first-time smartphone users,
the carrier plans to add the LG-made MyTouch
and MyTouchQ to its exclusive MyTouch series
in time for the holidays. Prices were not announced
at press time. Both have 4G HSPA+
operation.

MyTouch features a 3.8-inch touchscreen with
virtual keyboard, while the MyTouch Q features
a 3.5-inch touchscreen and slide-out QWERTY
keyboard. Both have Android 2.3 OS, 1GHz
Qualcomm processor and a 5-megapixel camera
with 720p video capture.

Verizon Wireless:

The carrier’s first 4G
phone with slide-out QWERTY keyboard is the
Samsung Stratosphere, an Android 2.3 Galaxy
S-class smartphone at $149. The Stratosphere
offers a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, 4-inch
Super AMOLED display and enterprise-grade
features.

Virgin Mobile:

A new LG phone and the prepaid
brand’s first HTC-made smartphone use
the Android 2.3OS and will retail for $199.

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