Will there be an HTC EVO 4G Pro?

[JViz]

I have a Samsung Moment and I prefer having a physical keyboard.

 

[SprintFun]

I think its possible, but that would be a huuuge phone. HTC has come out with touchscreen phones followed by physical keyboard versions in the past. I think a good way of knowing is if a physical keyboard of the HD2 comes out.

 

[Eguy]

The phone would be RIDICULOUSLY large with a keyboard. That is the biggest feature I will miss from my Pre but I think with the huge screen, typing won't be that bad.

 

[JViz]

I'm a pretty big guy, a phone that big wouldn't bother me at all. Heck, the Dell Mini 5 seems like a nice phone size to me.

 

[esone1ll]

Physical keyboards just add more sources of possible wear and tear. Apple knew this from the get-go. I hope that the EVO4G stays all-touch, like the HD2.

 

[SoFLO]

I love physical keyboards but the additional bulk to an already large phone would be the reason why I wouldn't want one. I want to carry the phone in the pocket of my pants, not at my hip...or lugging around a custom roller case

 

[Slacker4Life]

I have had a physical keyboard on my last 3 phones and felt that they were a necessity for me based on how I use my phone. The lack of a keyboard on the EVO 4G was an area of hesitation upon reviewing the specs, but everything else about the phone blew me away. I currently use a HTC TP2 and don't find it too terribly bulky in my pocket, and when I checked the physical dimensions specs comparisons HERE I found that the size of the EVO 4G is very comparable to TP2. I would think that adding a keyboard to the EVO 4G would add a fair amount of to the depth to an already "large" phone. I like keyboards, don't get me wrong....but this baby is pretty large out of the gate sans the keyboard.

 

[drexappeal]

I'd love a physical keyboard on the EVO, if they were able to make it paper thin and not change the current depth at all.

I have a Touch Pro right now, and am tired of the phone's inconsistency and WinMo 6.5 crappy OS, which is why I'm taking the chance on the EVO based on the overall specs and capabilities.

 

[Caloy]

Between two identical phones, I would pick the one with the physical keyboard.

 

[dylan88]

if the evo had a physical keyboard, the size of the phone would be so big, you are better off just carrying around an ipad or something.

 

[MauiDude]

If I get an EVO it will be the 1st without a keyboard. I don't know how I'll like it but I guess I'm gonna find out!

 

[Mama Luigi]

I like the physical keyboard on my Moment well enough, but a phone as big as the EVO probably doesn't need one. Especially with all the excellent software keyboards available on Android. I often use SlideIT or the HTC-IME keyboard despite having a physical keyboard on the phone. The HTC T9 keypad is excellent for writing messages and emails, I'm so fast with it!

 

[twospirits]

If Pro indicates business like pro? Then yeah, it will have a keyboard and have more business like apps/features and be a world phone for the business traveler.

If Pro indicates consumer like pro? Then no keyboard but add more stuff and capabilities. how much more can you improve the current EVO. Add the ability to save on the sd card, vibration free video recording/playback (something HTC just sent over to the FCC), Video projection, etc etc.

TS out

 

[ashtx07]

I'm not a big fan of all touch phones and usually prefer a physical keyboard, but I feel as if this phone is already big enough. I'm still kind of hesitant of not having a physical keyboard but the screen is huge so that may not be an issue. I just think if they made a version w/a physical keyboard it would be bulky and won't be pocketable.

 

[drexappeal]

I'm not a big fan of all touch phones and usually prefer a physical keyboard, but I feel as if this phone is already big enough. I'm still kind of hesitant of not having a physical keyboard but the screen is huge so that may not be an issue. I just think if they made a version w/a physical keyboard it would be bulky and won't be pocketable.

I have been a fan of phones with slide out qwerty keyboards for the past 4 years. I had a Mogul and then a Touch Pro. I too was really hesitant about it, until I tried a Motorolla Droid tonight (without using the physical qwerty). Just to give you a little peace of mind, the screen on Droid is only 3.7, compared to the 4.3 that the EVO has and it was SO easy to use. I tried it in portrait AND landscape mode and had no issues using it.

I did realize that I really do like the option of having a qwerty keyboard, but I believe that the EVO's specs will eliminate my need for a physical qwerty (especially with the voice-to-text functionality that Android has - tried it on the Droid, although not in bluetooth, and it's extremely accurate). If, after a year, I miss having a physical qwerty too much, I'm hoping HTC or any manufacturer can somehow find a way to do what Motorola did with Droid (keep the depth of the phone somewhat thin), while still maintaining all the specs on the EVO and be on Sprint.

In doing the size comparison with the Droid, it looks like the Droid is not that much thicker in depth than the EVO, so if Motorola found a way to do it, I can't see why HTC wouldn't be able to find a way as well.

 

[Outrigger]

If HTC does come out with a keyboard version which I highly doubt they will, then we'll see "my slider is loose so I'm returning it" posts...

 

[neodorian]

I've owned two HTC slider phones before and never had an issue with a loose slider mechanism. With something like the Evo, I just can't see it happening due to size. I feel like the only reason they can pull off a 4.3" screen is due to the relative thinness of the handset. Maybe a nice 3.7" all-screen-little-bezel phone would work but until battery or screen tech evolves to the point where either the body or the screen can be much thinner, it might be hard to sell a thick 4.3" in this era of Nexus Ones and iPhones and other thin handsets. Like it or not (not sure I do) the current sentiment is that thinner is worth giving up a keyboard. This is evident from all the high end touch-only handsets coming out and the relative lack of high end keyboarded phones.

 

[drexappeal]

I've owned two HTC slider phones before and never had an issue with a loose slider mechanism. With something like the Evo, I just can't see it happening due to size. I feel like the only reason they can pull off a 4.3" screen is due to the relative thinness of the handset. Maybe a nice 3.7" all-screen-little-bezel phone would work but until battery or screen tech evolves to the point where either the body or the screen can be much thinner, it might be hard to sell a thick 4.3" in this era of Nexus Ones and iPhones and other thin handsets. Like it or not (not sure I do) the current sentiment is that thinner is worth giving up a keyboard. This is evident from all the high end touch-only handsets coming out and the relative lack of high end keyboarded phones.

Like I said earlier, when I compared the thickness of the Droid (.54) vs. the EVO (.5), there really isn't much difference. Motorolla figured out a way to make it work without having the phone become a brick, so maybe they'll find a way to do it with the EVO.

 

[LatinP]

Sprint has indeed had other variants with "Pro" editions such as the Diamond and Touch Pro which were near exact copies with the pro labelled device having a slide out keyboard but this was when we were working on screens that were barely 2.5-3" and a screen that would be nearly useless as a keyboard due to it's extremely small size.

Now were working with huge screens and much more space to space out buttons on virtual keyboards and have screens that are so responsive that a virtual keyboard would just be a waste. A few years ago I couldn't do without a hardware keyboard I just had to have one to even consider a phone purchase, we've come a long way even on my current Samsung Moment which is much smaller and not as spaced out and pleasant to type on as the keyboard on say a brand new Evo I have no trouble what so ever and really wish it didn't have a keyboard. Keyboard add lots of weight and make devices much thicker than they should be.

 

[IOWA]

I would still like to have a physical keyboard.

 

[Quicksand Jesus]

I don't think that having a keyboard would make the phone that much bigger. It's already huge, a little more thickness would be no big deal.

It sucks that the big pretty screen gets squished down to nothing when you bring up the on screen keyboard. IMO if it's so great to have a keyboard on a screen, then release a phone with a slide out 2nd screen for the keyboard (or web conf.). That's where it's at for the future. The crappy on screen keyboard doesn't get it done.

 

[Caloy]

Perhaps with advancements with screen and material technology, they can make it to a point where there would only be 1 to 2 mm difference between them. I'm speculating I know, but who knows?

 

[legacy]

I think it's entirely possible, but I wouldn't be interested. Went from a physical keyboard to an on-screen one, and never looked back.

 

[drexappeal]

I don't think that having a keyboard would make the phone that much bigger. It's already huge, a little more thickness would be no big deal.

It sucks that the big pretty screen gets squished down to nothing when you bring up the on screen keyboard. IMO if it's so great to have a keyboard on a screen, then release a phone with a slide out 2nd screen for the keyboard (or web conf.). That's where it's at for the future. The crappy on screen keyboard doesn't get it done.

I'd have to disagree, based on HTC's form factors in the past (e.g. Touch Pro vs. Touch Diamond; Touch Pro 2 vs. Touch Diamond 2). The thickness on their keyboard versions of those phones were definitely thicker (by a significant enough amount). That said, if HTC figures out how Motorola was able to keep their Droid phone fairly thin (almost as thin as the EVO), that'll change the ballgame.

I also disagree about the physical keyboard being the future. That's a step back in technology, rather than a step forward. I think eventually, the future will be voice-to-text being perfected to the point that even the virtual keyboard won't be necessary. Or quite possibly something better than that, where a physical phone won't even be necessary.

 

[Caloy]

I'd have to disagree, based on HTC's form factors in the past (e.g. Touch Pro vs. Touch Diamond; Touch Pro 2 vs. Touch Diamond 2). The thickness on their keyboard versions of those phones were definitely thicker (by a significant enough amount). That said, if HTC figures out how Motorola was able to keep their Droid phone fairly thin (almost as thin as the EVO), that'll change the ballgame.

I also disagree about the physical keyboard being the future. That's a step back in technology, rather than a step forward. I think eventually, the future will be voice-to-text being perfected to the point that even the virtual keyboard won't be necessary. Or quite possibly something better than that, where a physical phone won't even be necessary.

The only problem with voice to text, is that there are hundreds of different languages, accents and slangs. It's almost impossible to cater to all these factors without a big budget. For the non-english speaking world at least, I think a hardware keyboard still is a viable and not an outdated option.