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It seems not a day goes by where another Android phone or tablet is either announced or arrives on the market.
A quick glimpse across the four major U.S. carriers, and I see at least eight handsets on the horizon, with another half dozen rumored devices. It’s certainly not a bad issue to have, but with so many recent Android announcements and leaks, things can get confusing.
So, to help keep track of everything, I thought it would be worth rounding up all the upcoming and expected devices in one place for your viewing pleasure.
What’s coming
T-Mobile has been the most active lately, announcing three phones in rapid succession. The company started off the week by tapping the HTC Sensation 4G with a June 15 launch date and quickly followed that with today’s Samsung Gravity Smart and Exhibit 4G announcements.
The two Samsung handsets are expected in June, but exact release dates were not disclosed at this time. While the Sensation 4G will appeal to savvier Android users and early adopters, the Gravity Smart and Exhibit 4G should do quite well considering their low price points.
AT&T recently unveiled its first Android-based Pantech phone, the Crossover, which will debut June 5. At $69.99 with a two-year agreement, it’s a decent offering for users ready to transition away from feature phones.
Meanwhile, Sprint has three handsets in its immediate future with the HTC Evo 3D, the Motorola XPRT, and the Motorola Titanium. The XPRT arrives in a few days (June 5) and offers customers a new Droid Pro-like design; the Titanium follows last year’s Motorola i1 with a rugged, push-to-talk experience.
As for the Evo 3D, Sprint hasn’t nailed down the launch date, although all signs point to a June 24 release for the HTC handset. Speaking of the 24th and HTC, the Evo View 4G is also expected to arrive at the same time.
For all the recent noise Verizon has made, the carrier doesn’t have much lined up in any official capacity. We’re still waiting on Motorola and Big Red to give us the scoop on the Droid Bionic. Announced way back at CES 2011, the Bionic is currently undergoing a few changes ahead of its arrival.
Though the handset scene is quiet right now, Verizon does have its 4G LTE version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 on deck. Look for 16GB and 32GB iterations to arrive at stores around the country later this month with preorders starting on June 8.
What’s expected
T-Mobile and Sprint now offer their own versions of the Nexus S, but AT&T is rumored to be next in line. Pictures of a white Nexus S have been spotted online, and FCC documents indicate that such a device exists, but the carrier hasn’t made any public announcements about the phone.
As to when we’ll see it for sure still remains an uncertainty, but I venture to guess it will be within the next few weeks. Much longer beyond that and we run the risk of its luster wearing off.
Today, the first images of the T-Mobile MyTouch 4G Slide surfaced online, leading many to believe that an announcement is in the not-too distant future. The presumed MyTouch 4G Slide is expected to run Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread and feature a 3.7-inch display, sliding QWERTY keyboard, and support for the carrier’s 4G HSPA+ network.
Verizon’s Droid lineup is expected to grow by at least one more with the Motorola Droid 3 lumbering in the distance. The specs are not quite clear but rumors indicate the smartphone will feature a 4-inch qHD display, dual-core processor, and support for Verizon’s 3G network.
Much like it did with last summer’s Galaxy S series, Samsung is planning to blanket the world with variants of the Galaxy S II. Here in the U.S., a few possible names have emerged with AT&T’s Attain, Sprint’s Within, and Verizon’s Function. Of course, we anticipate a T-Mobile version, as well as models for U.S. Cellular, Cellular South, and, well, pretty much everyone else.
Finally, we’ll find out in just a few days what Sprint and Motorola have been working on as the two companies will host a luncheon on June 9 in New York. Some are suggesting that this is where we’ll learn of the dual-core Photon 4G and its eventual arrival.
So, of all these devices, which are you most excited about?
