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Mobile Miscellany: week of July 16th, 2012

Zachary Lutz
Updated ·4 min read

Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, the Chief Operating Officer of Leap Wireless made his departure from the company and a new LTE handset was leaked for MetroPCS. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of July 16th, 2012.

Leap Wireless loses its Chief Operating Officer, plans no replacement

Raymond Roman is no longer the Chief Operating Officer of Leap Wireless, as he left the company this week in order to "pursue other interests." Better known for its popular Cricket brand, Leap officials don't intend to name a successor for Roman's position; instead, other executives will now share the duties of the former Chief Operating Officer. Roman joined Leap Wireless in 2011, and has previously held positions at both Dell and Motorola. [WSJ]

Fido targeting July 23rd launch for HTC Desire C

Mobile Miscellany week of July 16th, 2012

The HTC Desire C is an entry-level smartphone with Android 4.0, and soon enough, it seems it'll be available for sale at Fido in Canada. Leaked documents suggest that the carrier is targeting a a July 23rd debut, where the handset will be available in both red and white. As a quick refresher, the Desire C contains a 600MHz CPU, a 3.5-inch HVGA display and a 5-megapixel camera. According to MobileSyrup, Fido will sell the phone for approximately $150 outright, which is in line with that of Virgin Mobile Canada, but $50 more than its Sasktel sibling. [MobileSyrup]

Motorola Defy Pro arriving this summer at Rogers

Mobile Miscellany week of July 16th, 2012

This isn't the first we've seen of the Defy Pro, which was announced earlier this month for a debut in Brazil, but now Motorola has revealed that Rogers will be the exclusive Canadian carrier of this IP67-certified QWERTY handset. While no price has been established, the Defy Pro will be available sometime this summer. As with most QWERTY candybars, users must sacrifice a significant amount of screen real estate, as the HVGA display measures only 2.7 inches. Beyond that, the phone includes a 1GHz CPU, a 5-megapixel camera and Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). If its any solace, users should be able to expect admirable battery life, thanks to the 1,700mAh cell. [Android Central]

LG Motion 4G leaked for MetroPCS

Mobile Miscellany week of July 16th, 2012

The Cayenne isn't the only LG phone that was leaked this week, as the same source also teased what's said to be the Motion 4G for MetroPCS. According to evleaks, the handset will include Android 4.0, a qHD display and a 5-megapixel camera. Naturally, it's also expected to support LTE connectivity. [Unwired View, @evleaks (Twitter)]

Motorola RAZR V XT885 becomes official for China Unicom

Mobile Miscellany week of July 16th, 2012

Motorola's XT885 first greeted the world back in May by way of an unauthorized leak, but its existence became a whole lot more official this week with its arrival at China Unicom. The Android 4.0 smartphone features a dual-core 1.2GHz CPU, a 4.3-inch qHD display and an 8-megapixel camera. Those within mainland China can purchase the handset today for 3,298 RMB ($517). [Motorola PR]

Other random tidbits

  • Verizon Wireless announced the availability of its LTE service in 33 new markets this week, along with the expansion of its LTE service throughout 32 existing areas. [Android Central]

  • Like its parent company, Telus, Koodo has announced the availability of an unlocking service for the Apple iPhone. To be eligible for the $50 service, Koodo customers must hold an account in good standing for more than 90 days, which must also be current at the time of the unlock. [MobileSyrup]

  • SwiftKey 3 was updated this week to bring support for Android 4.1. Additionally, the latest release brings a few UI and prediction fixes. [Droid Life]

  • The Motorola Atrix HD LTE has been targeted for an August 2nd arrival at Bell Mobility. [MobileSyrup]

  • The Sony Xperia P is now available from Three in the UK. Customers may score the handset for £289.99 outright, or free with all two-year agreements that exceed £27 per month. [Thanks, Dave] [Android Central]