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Huawei Sonic reappears at the FCC, ditches AWS 3G and NFC functionality
If this is the same "T-Mobile Sonic" we saw a month back, it's safe to assume Huawei took the Gingerbread slab back to the drawing board and away from a Magenta debut. Popping up, once again, over at the FCC, and bearing a different model number -- U8652 -- the new Sonic sports a similar rounded-edge design, although this current incarnation takes on a definite rectangular shape. Gone are both the formerly included NFC functionality and AWS bands, in favor of quadband GSM, UMTS 850 / 1900 / 2100 bands, 3.2 megapixel rear-facing camera, WiFi and Bluetooth. The handset's radios are tipping us in the direction of an AT&T destiny, but could also very likely indicate a bow on the networks to our north. Will this Sonic ever see the light of day, or will Huawei lob off more bands for an overseas-only birth? We'll keep an eye out for any new developments, but in the meantime, jump past the break for a closer look.
Huawei Sonic with AWS endorsed by FCC, fittingly given T-Mobile nametag
Turkey may have had the first yuckle with the Huawei Sonic, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll get the last laugh. The Gingerbread handset received warm welcomes on TurkCell due to its inexpensive cost -- and included NFC functionality included doesn't hurt either. Just as it officially launched there, however, we were pleasantly surprised to see the Huawei UMG587 -- labelled the "T-Mobile Sonic" -- get pushed through the FCC. The docs not only confirm 850 / 1900 / 2100 3G bands thrown on top of T-Mobile's AWS, but also bluntly mention HSPA+ download speeds will be maxed out at 42Mbps. We found it interesting that Turkcell's model only reaches 7.2Mbps, so we're hoping the full maximum speeds aren't tweaked or throttled here. The T-Mobile (or "T-Moblie," if you believe the image above) branding makes it difficult to dispute this phone's US destiny, but inclusion of AT&T frequencies has us curious if the Sonic will eventually Rethink Possible.
