Verizon's product pipeline in the wild

We can take this picture and file it under "sneak peek" and "blurry" all at the same time. From what we can make out here, it seems Verizon sets in motion plans to launch several devices in the month of August. From the Motorola Z6tv at top left, to the Q9M (remember the iPhone killer?), the Motorola RAZR 2 (aka V9m), Samsung i760, and UTStarcom XV6800 should all be making an appearance this coming month. Let's hope Big Red can pull off these launches we can be a happy bunch!

[Thanks, HTC Kid and Omie]

Update: Thanks to everyone who submitted the new picture!

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 4th 2007 12:30PM]

Verizon's Smartphones are pathetically outdated. Even their most recently released phones are outdated, and the XV6700 has been outdated for several months. I really like the slide-out keyboard, but I'm tired of waiting for Verizon to release a new phone. I'm probably going to switch to AT&T. The AT&T 8525 is much better than anything Verizon offers.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 12th 2007 4:05AM]

The 8525 is a Windows Mobile 5.0 device. AT&T is actually the last of the major carriers to not have a Windows Mobile 6.0 device, but everyone's offerings of windows mobile 6.0 devices is slim at this point. It is certainly a nice phone and AT&T advertises that it will be upgradable to WinMo 6.0 in 3rd Q.

As far as it being much nicer than a XV6700, I don't see it.
Same memory specs
Same Screen Specs
XV6700 has a 415mhz vs 8825's 400mhz processor
Both have WiFi
6700 wont tether and the 8825 will
XV6700 has a 1.3 megapixel camera vs 8825's 2.0 mega pixel

The specs are pretty much the same. I guess tethering could be a deal breaker for some people, but they are pretty much the same phone. Am I missing something?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 12th 2007 11:55AM]

3G is the biggie. Also, the 8525 feels much smaller. The camera and tethering are also a consideration. Basically, I don't want to buy a "new" phone that is already in need of replacement. UT Starcom has been manufacturing the PPC6800 for some time now. I assume that will be the replacement for the XV6700. Still, it doesn't have 3G, but it is even smaller than the 8525, and matches up well in every other area. My problem with Verizon is that they never offer the latest technology. They also seem to prefer selling combination devices (phone, camera, mp3 player) rather than Smartphones. If I wanted to buy a phone with and mp3 player, I'd opt for an iPhone. However, I want a phone that allows me to download third-party applications. Ultimately, I think that is exactly what Verizon wants to avoid. They prefer selling devices that lock people into their network, forcing customers to purchase all downloads from Verizon's network and its partners.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 12th 2007 9:38PM]

8525 is advertised as having speeds that average 400k to 700k, that is the average speeds for evdo rev0 400k being minimal and reva is going to be 700k minimum average. It depends on where you live and where you use the phone for network performance though. But still the 3g on both devices is about the same. My point is that the 8525 is old technology that has been around, a new device with old tech is an old device. Again though, if you are looking at a winmo/blackberry/palm, there is nothing keeping you from loading it up with 3rd party apps.

I agree that the wait for new devices has been too long. Like I said in a previous post Microsoft (the first device came out mid-late July), the revision A upgrade (The Q9M isnt rev A, but the 6800 is supposed to be), and finally that whole thing with qualcomm/broadcomm legal woes seems to have dragged out the wait for the devices.

Windows mobile, Palm, and Blackberry devices always allow for 3rd party apps. Verizon doesn't change that in any way shape or form. The Q9M has the ability to download VCast music from the phone, but that doesnt keep you from Ripping a CD and using a windows media player to play it like other phones. The only locking Verizon Wireless does is to their non smartphones, and it is done in the form of locking out Bluetooth FTP and phone memory access through a USB cable. This prevents transferring ringtones, games, apps, and other copyrighted materials that are only liscenced per phone, downside is it prevents other 3rd party apps/tools from being put on the phone.

CDMA phones will always be set for one network. Alot of the authentication for the CDMA networks is built with the ESN of the phone rather than a SIM card. You cant transfer a phone's ESN, and if the ESN isnt loaded on the network's database the network will not accept it. The major CDMA carriers will not load another carrier's phone to their database and that isn't going to change anytime soon.