Future phones for Virgin Mobile USA?

[AmishFury]

I've heard this all over, but the Optimus Black (P970) is a GSM phone. I haven't been able to find anything other than rumor that there's a CDMA version coming to Sprint/VM. I would think that if they're going to make a CDMA version that they'd give it a new name, at least. Still, looks like a pretty nice phone.

Optimus Slack and Optimus Vlack

 

[Investor22]

This says the LG optimus Black is coming to Sprint on the 2nd of September.

I hope it ends up on Virgin Mobile as other articles have pointed out.

 

[agianne]

One thing you could count on is this. If the IPhone came to VM it would be seriously restricted. What I mean is, they would do the same thing with it that they did when Verizon got it. ATTs version can do WXYZ, but Verizons version can only do XYZ and if VM got it it would probably only be able to do z.

The only thing I'm aware of that the AT&T version of the iPhone 4 can do that the Verizon can't is talk on the phone and use a data connection simultaneously. This has nothing to do with "restricting" the phone, it is due to current capabilities of GSM networks (like AT&T's) vs. CDMA networks (like Sprint's, Verizon's and all other CDMA carriers' networks worldwide). The "restriction" exists in the network, not the phone. No smartphone on a CDMA network can do voice and data at the same time and this won't change until Verizon and Sprint start offering voice and data over LTE.

I wouldn't be surprised if Sprint got a CDMA version of the iPhone 5 while VM USA got the CDMA version of iPhone 4, if VM USA got the iPhone at all. Right now neither AT&T nor Verizon offer the iPhone with pre-paid plans. VM USA is a discount brand and discount brands don't usually get the latest and greatest.

 

[agianne]

This says the LG optimus Black is coming to Sprint on the 2nd of September.

I hope it ends up on Virgin Mobile as other articles have pointed out.

These articles all reference the FCC regulatory filings which merely list a VM model number (and a bunch of other model numbers) and say nothing else. That doesn't mean that VM will or will not get the Optimus Black - it just means that LG is authorized by the FCC so sell a phone in the U.S. under model number VMxxx. Sites like phone-arena.com troll the FCC site for interesting filings, make guesses and assumptions based on incomplete info., publish those guesses and the information gets twisted every time it's re-published by sites like geeky-gadgets until the headline reads "Republicans refuse to buy Obama a Sprint iPhone 5 for his birthday!"

I think (also hope) that VM will get the OB eventually, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. The fact that a model number appears in some government paperwork doesn't really tell us much.

As far as the Sprint release date goes, there's a leaked product plan document floating around (from Best Buy I think) that shows an -October- 2nd official on sale date for the Sprint version. In the past there has been a four month gap between FCC filings and Sprint official product debut dates, which also puts us into October. (There was also a four month gap between the Optimus S and the Optimus V going on sale which would put the VM OB into February 2012 if that pattern holds up.)

 

[harvickchick]

If VM does get the Black wont there be a new and better phone out by then? (That one doesn't really impress me much to begin with) But it seems like by the time they launch another phone there will be room for improvement.

 

[androidfonefan]

I have been hoping that VM would get a HTC in their line up and now I think (though I have no proof) that there may be one coming.

Again I have no proof but here is why I say it.

Sprint has reported that they will be retiring the HTC EVO 4G from their line up. The EVO has been a good seller for Sprint since it was introduced but newer HTCs have surpassed it in performance and sales since then. I am thinking that they may be retiring the EVO from the Sprint side so they can reintroduce it later in to the pay as you go MVNOs, since it was such a good seller for the prepaid side of their business, and though it is a old phone by todays standards it is still a better phone than most if not all Androids found in the PAYG end of the business.

I am hopeful that the EVO 4G may be reworked and introduced to VM in 2012. It may not be called an EVO but would be the same phone possibly running a vanilla 2.3 version of Android. I say this last part about the vanilla Android because history has shown that all the Androids VM releases regardless of manufacturer, all run vanilla Android. I think Sprint would be smart to leave the HTC Sense in place as it is in large part what makes HTC products so popular. If this were to happen that is.

What do you all think? Do you think this is a possibility or am I grasping at straws?

 

[Petrah]

androidfonefan,

I think your theory makes a lot of sense actually. Id be very pleased to see more of a variety in smartphones from VM in their Beyond Talk plans.

 

[MacFett]

IMO now that they've raised the prices and are instituting the data cap, we'll be seeing more smart phones on VM.

 

[TLBones]

These articles all reference the FCC regulatory filings which merely list a VM model number (and a bunch of other model numbers) and say nothing else. That doesn't mean that VM will or will not get the Optimus Black - it just means that LG is authorized by the FCC so sell a phone in the U.S. under model number VMxxx. Sites like phone-arena.com troll the FCC site for interesting filings, make guesses and assumptions based on incomplete info., publish those guesses and the information gets twisted every time it's re-published by sites like geeky-gadgets until the headline reads "Republicans refuse to buy Obama a Sprint iPhone 5 for his birthday!"

I think (also hope) that VM will get the OB eventually, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. The fact that a model number appears in some government paperwork doesn't really tell us much.

As far as the Sprint release date goes, there's a leaked product plan document floating around (from Best Buy I think) that shows an -October- 2nd official on sale date for the Sprint version. In the past there has been a four month gap between FCC filings and Sprint official product debut dates, which also puts us into October. (There was also a four month gap between the Optimus S and the Optimus V going on sale which would put the VM OB into February 2012 if that pattern holds up.)

What you say makes sense...but wouldn't it be smart for VM to come out with a new phone as a holiday seller? Isn't that what the Intercept kinda was last fall? The Triumph will be "old" by then...seems like a good time to pop the next product out. I'm pretty sure that'll be the Optimus B then maybe like you say the HTC in Feb. Maybe the iphone next summer? (Far fetched I know)

 

[androidfonefan]

What you say makes sense...but wouldn't it be smart for VM to come out with a new phone as a holiday seller? Isn't that what the Intercept kinda was last fall? The Triumph will be "old" by then...seems like a good time to pop the next product out. I'm pretty sure that'll be the Optimus B then maybe like you say the HTC in Feb. Maybe the iphone next summer? (Far fetched I know)

I could see that with the exception of the IPhone.
I could be way off base, but I just don't see any version of the IPhone coming to PAYG in the next 10 years.

 

[TLBones]

I could see that with the exception of the IPhone.
I could be way off base, but I just don't see any version of the IPhone coming to PAYG in the next 10 years.

You could be right. The only reason I say that is there is an article or two claiming apple wants to capture some of the prepaid market from android by releasing the iphone 3 as a prepaid phone in the $300-350 range. I think it's plausable...we'll see what Apple says with their Sept. releases. I highly doubt it on the VM plan... morelikely ATT or Verizon prepay.

 

[androidfonefan]

That is surprising. I would not think that Apple would be at all interested in us low spending peons.
They normally target people that are willing to spend top dollar on the latest Apple branded gadget.

I have a friend that has the IPhone 3GS I think it is. And he loves it. Says it does everything but wipe his backside. LOL

His 100+ dollar a month phone bill makes my wallet crawl though.

As for the IPhone. Like you say. We will have to wait and see.

 

[TLBones]

That is surprising. I would not think that Apple would be at all interested in us low spending peons.
They normally target people that are willing to spend top dollar on the latest Apple branded gadget..

Agreed, but that is exactly what the article claimed they wanted to change. Think it was PCWorld...I'll have to google and link it.

I have a friend that has the IPhone 3GS I think it is. And he loves it. Says it does everything but wipe his backside. LOL

His 100+ dollar a month phone bill makes my wallet crawl though.

My Brother-in-law is the same way...he even has his home theatre hooked to his iphone so he can control it. I'm suprised he doesn't have it attached to a strap around his neck 24/7. ATT and Verizon bills would make my wallet cry too.

EDIT: Yes here is the article:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/235936/prepaid_and_cheaper_iphone_rumors_to_take_on_android.html

 

[androidfonefan]

Your quote attempt was almost rite, you need to remove the forward slash from the first quote bracket and your quote will show in a box like all the rest.

If the IPhone pans out it may hit Android sales hard, I hear very little about the IPhone having issues like many of the Androids do.

 

[TLBones]

Your quote attempt was almost rite, you need to remove the forward slash from the first quote bracket and your quote will show in a box like all the rest.

If the IPhone pans out it may hit Android sales hard, I hear very little about the IPhone having issues like many of the Androids do.

We'll see...I'd hop on the apple bandwagon for sure if I could get one with a reasonable plan. Yes android is really buggy compared to apple. I think android will come into it's own though. Thanks for letting me know what I did wrong with the quotes...couldn't figure it out!

 

[Idag14]

I currently have an LG Rumor Touch and I have never owned a smartphone before. Originally I was going to get the Optimus V, but just before I got it, the Motorola Triumph came out. I did some research and I saw that the LG Optimus Black is coming out as well, but there is no release date yet. My question therefore is whether I should get the MT now or wait for the OB to come out.

 

[androidfonefan]

I currently have an LG Rumor Touch and I have never owned a smartphone before. Originally I was going to get the Optimus V, but just before I got it, the Motorola Triumph came out. I did some research and I saw that the LG Optimus Black is coming out as well, but there is no release date yet. My question therefore is whether I should get the MT now or wait for the OB to come out.

If you are content with your RT and are in no big hurry to move to a smart phone hold off until the Optimus Black. If you feel like you need an Android fix go Optimus V.

I sold mine when the Motorola Triumph came out and bought the new kid on the block.
I can not express how greatly I regret doing it.
There are many who get their Triumph and are happy with it. I was for the first week and a half, but after that my phone went south quickly. The Triumph is a new phone with lots of bugs in it. don't buy it until Motorola/Sprint or VM has had time to address them through updates. I thought I had found all the problems with my particular phone until today, I found that when the camera takes a picture the camera displays a large orange area in the middle of the image. I am not sure if that orange would show if I removed my SD card and looked at it on a PC.
I can say with all honesty that this phone cost the same as two Optimus Vs. If I could trade it for two OVs I would do it.

 

[Japanorama]

If Apple offers the 3GS for prepaid carriers, I'd be a little disappointed. That's nearly 2 generations behind when October rolls around and the iPhone 5 releases. But then again, not much to complain about since we are paying much less than those on contracts. I would wait until the iPhone 4 comes to prepaid before I consider selling my OV.

 

[Idag14]

If you are content with your RT and are in no big hurry to move to a smart phone hold off until the Optimus Black. If you feel like you need an Android fix go Optimus V.

I sold mine when the Motorola Triumph came out and bought the new kid on the block.
I can not express how greatly I regret doing it.
There are many who get their Triumph and are happy with it. I was for the first week and a half, but after that my phone went south quickly. The Triumph is a new phone with lots of bug in it. don't buy it until Motorola/Sprint or VM has had time to address them through updates. I thought I had found all the problems with my particular phone until today I found that when the camera camera takes a picture the camera displays a large orange area in the middle of the image. I am not sure if that orange would show if I removed my SD card and looked at it on a PC.
I can say with all honesty that this phone cost the same as two Optimus Vs. If I could trade it for two OVs I would do it.

Thanks for the info...any clue as to when the OB is coming out?

 

[TLBones]

I currently have an LG Rumor Touch and I have never owned a smartphone before. Originally I was going to get the Optimus V, but just before I got it, the Motorola Triumph came out. I did some research and I saw that the LG Optimus Black is coming out as well, but there is no release date yet. My question therefore is whether I should get the MT now or wait for the OB to come out.

I'd wait if you could until the holidays. I'm convinced there will be some deals then. I too almost bought the Triumph until I heard all the bad luck people have been having.

 

[androidfonefan]

If Apple offers the 3GS for prepaid carriers, I'd be a little disappointed. That's nearly 2 generations behind when October rolls around and the iPhone 5 releases. But then again, not much to complain about since we are paying much less than those on contracts. I would wait until the iPhone 4 comes to prepaid before I consider selling my OV.

The 3GS may be 2 gens behind but people are still buying older Androids and being perfectly happy with them. It depends on what you want or need from your phone.
A friend of mine has the 3GS, he is very happy with it, he may buy the 5 when it comes out but when Apple intentionally let the 4 out with antenna problems, then tried to act as though it were no big issue when so many people were reporting frequent dropped calls he decided to skip the 4 all together and wait for the 5, he says the 3GS is the "best phone I have ever had" and "IPhones are all I'm getting from now on"
I suspect if the 3GS came to PAYG it would sell just as well there as it did on contract plans.

 

[micahdiablo]

Technically wouldn't buying an Iphone 3gs be the same as buying an Optimus V/Intercept?

The specs for the Optimus V/intercept are more along the lines of 2009 specs for Android phones(mytouch 3g, Droid Eris, Sprint Hero) as well as the 2009 Specs of the Iphone 3gs

so if they were to do that, i wouldn't see it bad that they offer the 3gs. But i can't see them reworking a 2 year old GSM phone and making it CDMA.

 

[androidfonefan]

Thanks for the info...any clue as to when the OB is coming out?

There is nothing written in stone, but rumor has that it will be near years end.
Again this is all rumor, but then the Triumph, Optimus and Intercept were all rumor before they became real. So I thing the odds are good that we will see it or another newer Android on VM line up by years end.
Do your self a favor though, If a new one is released, DO NOT run out and get it right away.
Let others buy it and report the performance of the phone. I have 300.00 dollars worth of I wish had done that with my Motorola Triumph.
If I could sell this phone for at least 200.00 I would and get another Optimus V.
I think I'm stuck with it because it has many of the same problems that others are reporting and no one is gong to want to buy it knowing that it has so man problems.

I just hope that if the Optimus Black does come out they don't skimp on it. Even if we have to pay the same price as the MT, 300.00 is way to much for that phone.

 

[agianne]

If a new one is released, DO NOT run out and get it right away. Let others buy it and report the performance of the phone.

Smarter words have rarely been written by anyone, anywhere on any subject.

 

[agianne]

What you say makes sense...but wouldn't it be smart for VM to come out with a new phone as a holiday seller? Isn't that what the Intercept kinda was last fall? The Triumph will be "old" by then...seems like a good time to pop the next product out. I'm pretty sure that'll be the Optimus B then maybe like you say the HTC in Feb. Maybe the iphone next summer? (Far fetched I know)

Your understanding of retailing logic is right, but VM may or may not drop a new product for the holidays. If they do, it could be on a feature phone rather than a smartphone. (I'm just guessing - I haven't seen anything that suggests they plan to do this.)

VM and the other pre-paid carriers aren't in the newest/best/awesomest handset arms race by design. The post-paid carriers have to have lots of handset choices and offer the latest and greatest because it's an incentive to pay 2 to 3 times as much as we do for functionally similar service. If you could get the iPhone 5 or the HTC Super Awesome (or whatever) from VM and pay $35 a month, I'm sure many, many Sprint post-paid customers would defect costing Sprint hundreds of millions in revenue. As long as VM's prices are so much cheaper than Sprint's, I would not expect VM's handset offerings to get too fancy.