It's rather astounding to believe we've come this far without Verizon or Motorola so much as recognizing the
Droid 2's existence, but with leaks like this on a weekly basis who needs traditional marketing? Astute reader Greg from North Carolina tells us his local Best Buy has those
leaked dummy units out on shelves, and lo and behold, there's a set of price tags right next to them.
As originally rumored, the phone will launch at $199 with carrier subsidy and $599 should you choose to cart it home without a plan in tow. Still no solid confirmation of that
August 12 release date, but at this rate we expect the handset may sell out before Verizon's PR team breathes a word. Spot the full image after the break.
Update: On a related note, the original Droid is now "out of stock" on Verizon's website.
Update 2: Oh what the hell, dropped in an official "coming soon" Droid 2 advertising supplement making its way into newspapers.
[Thanks, Greg and Jeremy C.]
posted August 8th 2010 9:45PM
SOOOOO not worth 199
Why is everyone crying about the price without contract? Last I checked, Verizon doesn't charge lower monthly rates if you get a non-contract phone, or am I mistaken? What's the point of getting a non-contract phone if you pay the same as a contract phone and can't switch networks with the phone(no taking it internationally either)...or am I missing something here?
Funny how Droid 2 with contract costs more than iPhone 4 in Canada with contract. Canadians get iPhone 4 for $159 CAD (which is less than 150 USD). I think they should lower the price for Droid as well, so that the US customers wont get completely mad with hight pricing, compared to prices on handsets everywhere else.
@bathellfire
But don't they also sign a 3yr contract? I wouldn't sign up for anything for that long.
I think best buy's off-contract phone prices are usually pretty high... I can buy the same phones from the carrier for less
@redpanda Lets hope so, because Im thinking about upgrading my Eris to the Droid 2 and $600 is way too much but 450 is more reasonable. I don't care if the cpu and gpu are better, and it comes with 8gb vs the Evo, it still should not be $600.
If you take a look at the newest price plan guide the Droid 2 is in there right next to the Droid X... Both are labeled "coming soon"...
Verizon and Motorola are alliance for long time since 1990...
"In other news the Droid 3 launches November 18th. Alongside the Droid Y. And the Droid Shard, made from recycled glass. And the Droid Flip, Droid Twist, and Droid 1284. That's right, so many names they start using numbers instead. RADNESS."
F@ck the iPhone*, we get something cool every two weeks! :D
@APV
(LOL JK I'm bagging on Android with this comment...)*
@APV
All in good fun of course...
@APV
It's just funny how little time it is now that it takes for your device to be outdated completely.
At least with Apple it's always a solid year before there's an upgrade to your device...
Though that said they aren't ahead of the curve either...
@APV the Droid came out november 6 of 2009... thats 8 months of life... which is pretty normal for a phone
@Sizzmo
I'm making funs of ALL android phones. Using Droid because it's now some sort of official moniker.
since that isnt the Stock build i must say it will not do as well with the hardcore crew
i hope the nexus one two(or w/e the fuck its called) will be announced by Google....also i hope it will be strong enough to hold Android 3.0-4.X
so the phone will actually last 2years tech wise
I love motorola droids but i personally think motorola made the wrong move here, they needed something different
Droid X?
@shamu11
What you exactly mean?
Was is that, is it an iPhone? Does it have 3G, and the wifi's?
So what the hell this "Geek Squad Black Tie Protection" that they charge $9.99 per month for?
No, you're not dude--you're speaking for all us geeks.
motorola, please just make a froyo phone with stock ui on sprint so I can switch!
I saw an ad for the Droid 2 on a fllyer in the Sunday papers today. I was very surprised to see it.
I live in North Carolina. Think I'll go check my local Best Buy. Also, my original droid has been having some problems and probably could be replaced for free. Any chance that I could wait a few more weeks (until their supply is gone) and bring it in in hopes of getting a free droid 2?
Nothing magical about a stock Froyo phone. I have Froyo on my Nexus One, stock...
I actually want to put the Sense UI ON the phone. I think it needs a skin.
@Steve B
you are comparing a phone, running a free OS, to the iPhone, made by Apple. The kings of overpriced hardware. Lets be real here. Compare this to the $450 Sprint Bold and EVO. Seem outrageous now?
I wonder if Verizon will allow original Droid owners to upgrade with the 1-2yr contract
The original droid has been out of stock for a while on the VZW shop
I think the epic 4g is better phone all around.
i wonder if droid 2 has the bootloader.
LauncherPro. No root required, phone looks like the setup Froyo has as a homescreen, no impact on performance. Droid X skin is a non-issue.
@AlexMP
Speaking of LauncherPro, I got it today for my Droid X, but do you know if you have to have the "plus/paid" version to have the widgets, etc?
@bradyw
Looks like you do for some of the widgets, though maybe not all. It changes often with updates though, so hard to say definitively.
@bradyw
Yeah, I think only the People widget is free, the rest you need the plus version for. I think the developer mentioned that he figured out how to make the Motorola resizeable widgets work with LauncherPro as well, but that's also a plus feature. You can still the regular "universal" widgets though, or download others from the Market, unless you really like the ones he's developing for plus users.
Also, this was supposed to be a reply to the guy complaining about the skin on Droid X / Droid 2... ah well.
@AlexMP
Thank you for the insite. Sorry for getting off topic.
@bradyw
No need for an apology, that's not what I meant. I meant that my reply ended up as its own post, instead of being threaded under the post I was originally replying to... haha.
@kenny goo
Last I checked, the Droid X is $699 off contract or $199 on contract. That was around launch time, though, and maybe the price has come down since? (Just checked, still $699 at Best Buy, $599 at Wirefly, and $569 at Verizon online... strange variety).
I miss the days when the "New Every Two" promotion for current VZW customers was $100, not $50 like it is now. It would really make these advanced devices a bit more palatable, as well as the forced contract stipulations (voice & data).
@Anay depends on how you look at it cause your evo is inferior to "these droids" and the galaxy s phones when it comes to.processor speeds and especially in gpu i hardly think a couple mega pixels or an underwhelming "4G" that is only available in small parts in the US (Not to mention is a technology that more than likely will be replaced by LTE in less than 2 years and yes even sprint umis rumored to make the change) is saying that all phones are inferior don't ya think. The EVO is nice but just like every summer launched phone so far they all have their high and low points it just matter what you are looking for in a phone. The EVO is by far not the king of all android phones that's for sure and i really don't think there will ever be a clear cut best android phone at any one time.
Had the d1 and now the X. I have to say that out is still very close to vanilla android. With the exception of the homescreen navigation key at the bottom of the screen. Now the bloatware is offensive for sure. But now with root who cares. To me I liked some of the homescreen launchers with the d1 over the shit three homescreen anyway. It is a very minute thing to me. I think they have done a pretty good thing with it. Far better than htc now that is as far removed from stock as you can get, with the exception of the original motoblur.
Don't know why anyone would buy this when the X is the same price with all the same specs and bigger screen... I have the original droid and feel the screen is too skinny... But I love it just the same... but if I was eligible for an upgrade... I'd choose the bigger screen over a physical keyboard.
@truckfreak69
Looks like you answered your own question:
You: "I'd choose the bigger screen over a physical keyboard."
Me: "I'd choose the physical keyboard over a bigger screen."
See, aren't choices great! ;)
@NKTizzle My point was simply that they shouldn't be charging the same price... the LCD is the most expensive component in these phones. It should be around the 175 mark, all else being the same... the keyboard doesn't add much in the way of cost... they can make entire remote controls for less than 10 bucks.
In that add I noticed that the keys on the keyboard don't seem quite as convex as photos here a month ago did.
"Monthly Geek Squad Black tie protection"
UGHx10
Forget the Droid 2, I'd like to hear more about the "Geek Squad Black Tie Protection" for $10/month. Is that where they optimize the black levels and sync the glasses for you?
Any news on Milestone 2 if and when they are going to come out with it?
Verizon confirmed it's existence this weekend when I went to the store to by a car dock for my Droid, and they sold me one for the Droid 2. The dock is compatible with both Droids, but for you have to switch out an inset in the holder in order to use the original Droid. I'm not sure why because as far as I can tell, both insets are exactly the same.
I will keep this advertisement when i get older and one day i will find it and look at it and think back and remember. Then laugh as I use my phone implanted in my brain.
What the f*ck best buy: $10/month for insurance to replace the handset?