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US Cellular teases 2H 2011 smartphone lineup, brings WP7 and tablets into fold

Brad Molen
Updated ·5 min read


It's a treat when we get a sneak peek at upcoming devices, but we consider it a feast when carriers unload their entire roadmap en masse. US Cellular indulged us with its smartphone lineup for the entire second half of the year, and we have to say -- your choices this holiday season are looking mighty fine. It's lengthy, so you'd better grab a cup o' Joe before proceeding. Starting off the laundry list, the carrier announced it's launching its first Windows Phone in an HTC flavor sometime this summer. Of the seven Android handsets coming to market this fall, a whole 100 percent of them will run Gingerbread: one is a Motorola dual-core 1GHz phone with 4.3-inch screen, another is an LG with "ultra-bright LCD display" (Nova?), and Samsung and Huawei will offer entry-level phones. Throw in a couple HTC models and there's just one still unaccounted for -- the company's first LTE-enabled smartphone, slated for release in November. Now top it all off with an HTC 7-inch slate alongside another mystery tablet, and you have a plethora of choices come time for Black Friday. Mind = blown? Scroll past the break for a press release that might put it back together into one piece again.

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U.S. CELLULAR TO LAUNCH EIGHT SMARTPHONES, TWO TABLETS AND ITS FIRST 4G LTE DEVICES

Touchscreen devices offer customers more features and functions to enhance their lives

CHICAGO (June 09, 2011) – Between now and the end of the year, U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM) is expanding its portfolio of cutting-edge devices with more features, handset styles and pricing options to help its customers select the one that meets their needs and helps them stay connected.

U.S. Cellular plans to launch seven smartphones that run on the Android™ operating system, including its first 4G-enabled smartphone. Two mobile tablets are planned along with the carrier's first Windows® Phone 7 device. U.S. Cellular will also roll out its first wave of 4G LTE devices in November.

"Our new smartphones and tablets are packed with faster processors similar to those in personal computers for improved web browsing, video streaming, playing games and being more productive on the go," said Edward Perez, vice president of sales and marketing operations for U.S. Cellular. "Customers who switch to U.S. Cellular also get unique benefits with all of our devices, like new phones faster without continuously signing contracts, and join the happiest customers in wireless."

Large touchscreens and options for full QWERTY keypads make it easier for customers to stay organized and take advantage of all the time-saving applications and functions that enhance their lives. Wi-Fi capabilities offer another means to quickly access important information and entertainment. All of the Android-powered phones will run the 2.3 operating system, also known as Gingerbread, and are pre-loaded with popular Google™ applications like Gmail™ and Google Maps™.

U.S. Cellular's entire line-up of devices is backed by its high-speed nationwide network, which has the highest call quality and network satisfaction of any national carrier. Customers can also select from a range of national bundled plans that are designed to match how they use their phones. A family of four who switches to the Premium Plus Family plan can save more than $1,000 a year and the Primary Plus Plan, which includes 5 GB of data, unlimited text video and picture messaging, and 450 minutes with free unlimited incoming calls, nights and weekends, and mobile-to-mobile calls, is the best value in wireless at $79.99.

U.S. Cellular plans to launch four devices from HTC Corp. beginning this summer, including the carrier's first Windows Phone device that runs the Windows 7™ operating system. The Live Tiles on the Windows 7 homescreen show all of the messages, voicemails, e-mails and social network status updates in a single glance. U.S. Cellular also will launch a mobile tablet from HTC in early fall, which has a 7-inch screen and can be held in one hand for easy access to hundreds of thousands of Android applications. Two additional Android-powered phones from HTC are expected to launch in the fall.

Customers looking for the most advanced devices will have more options this fall. A Motorola smartphone with dual-core 1 GHz processors and 4.3-inch touchscreen is optimized for multimedia applications like watching TV and movies, and has worldphone capabilities for global travelers. One of the slimmest and lightest smartphones is coming from LG, though it's also heavy on features with a 1 GHz processor, 4-inch touchscreen and ultra-bright LCD display that is easy to view in sunlight. Both devices run on the Android operating system.

Those who want to step up to a smartphone this fall will be able to choose from new entry-level devices from Samsung and Huawei, which have just the right amount of features to help first-time smartphone owners realize the power of Android technology.

In addition to its expanded smartphone selection, U.S. Cellular is launching two new messaging devices from Samsung that have a slide-out QWERTY keypad and the added convenience of 2.8-inch touchscreen. They're ideal for customers who prefer to stay connected to their friends and family through talking and texting, and are expected to launch this summer.