Q fans, good news: it'll cost $50 and have UMTS by 2007

For those Q fans in the audience, we've got some good news (especially if you haven't made the jump yet because that $200 price point is still a little high, or because you just can't bear the thought of switching to Verizon). Apparently Ron Garriques, Moto's Executive Vice President, Mobile Devices Business, told Bear Sterns that the Q's sales performance can be compared to the steep, successful initial launch of the RAZR, and that they not only hope to drop the price to $50 after carrier subsidy by the end of 2006, but they'll be launching a UMTS version when Verizon's exclusivity contract on the device ends (as we've been expecting). Yeah, that'd be the same UMTS version that it was supposed to be around from the get go. Still, we're assuming that exclusivity will last a good half year (quite literally a gadget lifetime to wait for us), after which time the UMTS Q will head to some mysterious, unknown network. Guess Ron wasn't too firm a believer in Moto's supposedly newly adopted announce-when-you-ship methodology, eh?

[flamer's grill @ Jun 12th 2006 11:42PM]

My roommate just got his Q today, and boy is it sexy. The keyboard is just right - typing is very easy. The speaker is clear, crisp and loud, making mp3 ringtones a real treat. The prospect of stereo bluetooth also has me salivating.

HOWEVER, WM5 sucks. God DAMN is it slow. Don't expect to breeze through any menus. They take a while to traverse and there is considerable lag between button presses and actual program launches. That back button also seems to exist outside of space and time - press it and wait several SECONDS before your Q will respond.

Not the Q's fault that WM5 is ass. Hopefully it will be updated and streamlined in the future. As a phone and text machine, it rules. As a SMARTPHONE? I think the 700p is what I would spend my money on.

[Orneta @ Jun 13th 2006 12:07AM]

Wow, good news indeed!

[resource @ Jun 13th 2006 1:11AM]

I need to see WM6 or WM7 before I get a Q.

It ended up being a real disappointment.

MS needs to steal some Palm workers or something.
What an unnatural phone environment.

[GreggB @ Jun 13th 2006 1:55AM]

Since this likely will not host Wifi, I wonder if the GSM Q will be able to support SDIO Mini Wi-Fi Cards? I'm now wondering if I should hold-off on my HTC 8125 purchase, and get the Moto GSM Q when it comes out.

[Frankyboy @ Jun 13th 2006 3:08AM]

May I take this opportunity to say that the Nokia E61, which I've had for almost a week now, is one brilliant piece of work. Fast, snappy (that's probably the same thing), solid, and easy to navigate. And it's got both UMTS and Wi-Fi ...

I just encoded some videos for it, and holy ... the quality in full screen is even better than on my iPod Video/5G. That's a pretty big compliment. Battery time is also solid, and it's so flexible in everything it does.

My favorute phone so far.

[xbit @ Jun 13th 2006 4:34AM]

I agree with Frankyboy.

You could wait until 2007 for this, or you could buy the quadband GSM/UMTS/WiFi Nokia E61 right now. It's a bit of a no-brainer really.

[flamer's grill @ Jun 13th 2006 4:52AM]

Even though I think you are probably posting from Europe, Frankyboy, I will answer your post under the assumption that you're north american.

The E61 may have wi-fi, but that's only because it NEEDS it. Take a look at the current state of UMTS here in the states:

http://www.cingular.com/business/3G_cov_maps_pop

Thirteen markets. With the E61, you can use UMTS if you happen to be one of the lucky ones living in these markets, or you can surf the web while tethered to a wifi hotspot anywhere that you find one.

The Q with wifi would be nice, but it doesn't really need it. EV-DO covers a lot more real estate:

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobileoptions/broadband/serviceavailability.jsp

Fifty-four markets for Verizon's EV-DO network. So while UMTS is confined to thirteen markets, EV-DO is much more readily available for most of the urban and suburban population of America.

WiFi on the Q isn't as necessary as it is with the E61. Additionally - we all know Verizon. We all know that they wanna charge you for every little thing they can. No wifi = gotta get EV-DO = gotta pay for Verizon's incredibly overpriced data package.

Hopefully Sprint will get the Q sometime soon. Check out Sprint's EVDO coverage (current and future):

http://www.sprint.com/business/products/products/evdoEnterZip.jsp

FORTY ONE STATES have EV-DO with Sprint, and numerous markets within those states. And as you can see by those maps, Sprint plans to deploy EV-DO on their entire native non-affiliate network by the end of '06. Much more affordable, too: $15/month unlimited data.

So the E61 might look nice, but as a high-speed mobile data device, the US is not the appropriate forum as of yet. The CDMA Q is ready for prime time: EV-DO is probably deployed where you live right now, be it by Verizon, Sprint of Alltel.

[TZK @ Jun 13th 2006 6:07AM]

As I posted at engadget mobile - with Cingular being the only current UMTS carrier, and they are pulling sales of 3G phones from a few markets, how is this going to add up. NO word as to whem they will reinstate the sales of the phones, so there must be some sort of coordination, since this Q is the only severely good UMTS phone that will be on Cings network.

ANd um, can you answer that Mr President?

[Mike @ Jun 13th 2006 7:24AM]

I bought the Q the first week it was out. A week later, I returned it. The thing is so sluggish and missing such basic features as a Notepad that it's a joke. The keyboard is nice and it has a lot of potential, but the battery life is so bad that you'll need to charge every 12-24 hours if you use Bluetooth and EV-DO.

Unless they seriously overhaul the OS, the Q is a disappointment.

[noodleneck @ Jun 13th 2006 8:10AM]

I just switched from cingular to Verizon and I have to say, The service is 10x better, clearer calls, less dropped calls, great fast data, and good customer service.

Yeah, its cheaper then what I was paying too.

I would have tried sprint, but I have friends who are not happy with their reception.

[MFfan310 @ Jun 13th 2006 9:45AM]

Good thing I have Verizon right now... I really want that Q. Since my contract runs out in September, I'll be able to get a $100 credit for a new phone if I renew. I wouldn't be surprised if the Q drops to $149 or $99 after 2-year agreement by then, so maybe I could get a Q for $49 or nothing by then.

Plus, Fort Wayne should have EV-DO by the end of the year, as all of Verizon's units want to do anything they can to make this former GTE market their Midwestern tech city. They've deployed FiOS Internet, they probably will deploy FiOS TV by mid-2007, and they want to launch EV-DO/VCAST here to round it out in the fall.

[Frankenstein Black @ Jun 13th 2006 11:59AM]

I’ll answer that TZK:
- CDMA SUXs!
- ESNs SUXs!
- PHONE GIMPING SUXs!

It’s all about:
- GSM/EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA!
- SIM CARDS, so that I can move my service from phone to phone with ease!
- And Mobile Operators that, well, DON’T GIMP PHONES as a habit!

Motorola (as well as other phone makers) know where their “bread is buttered” and that means making devices for the technology that most operators use globally (what, 88% GSM/UMTS?).

FOR THE MOST PART GSM/GPRS/EDGE/UMTS TECHNOLOGY WILL ALWAYS GET THE COOLEST PHONES FIRST (OR SOON AFTER) PERIOD!

[flamer's grill @ Jun 13th 2006 2:01PM]

"FOR THE MOST PART GSM/GPRS/EDGE/UMTS TECHNOLOGY WILL ALWAYS GET THE COOLEST PHONES FIRST (OR SOON AFTER) PERIOD!"

Except in the Q's case. Oh, and except when it comes to the Treos. CDMA got those first.

Oh, and except when it comes to Korean/Japanese phones. Those CDMA phones, while never to be seen on North American soil, are light years ahead of whatever Nokia is releasing in Europe. Remember the LG Chocolate? Yeah, CDMA first.

Oh, and while Verizon gimps their phones, Sprint doesn't.

[Frankenstein Black @ Jun 15th 2006 6:10PM]

Humm! So let me get this straight. On CDMA my choice is:
- An operator with good coverage but gimp phones like a mofo.
- Or an Operator with crap coverage that doesn’t gimp phones.
- Both of which have, what 1 “global” use phone?

Surely you jest man. Well, no thanks. I’ll keep my GSM/UMTS service. Oh and did I mention that my service is SIM based so that I can use a different phone each day if I wanted to? Come on man, CDMA IS A JOKE AND OH SO 1990’s!!

AGAIN, JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, I CAN TAKE MY SERVICE/SIM AND MOVE IT TO A DIFFERENT PHONE EACH DAY IF I WANTED TO!!!