Mobile Miscellany: week of July 30th, 2012
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 Galaxy Nexus for Sprint and Verizon Wireless each became available for free, while in the MVNO world, Simple Mobile dropped the price of its high-speed unlimited smartphone plan to $50. 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 30th, 2012.
Sony Xperia T tipped as official name of 'Mint' handset
Just last week, the LT30 from Sony -- codenamed Mint -- managed to leak with a number of specs in tow. Wouldn't you know it, but the Snapdragon S4-powered smartphone reappeared this week when it gained its DLNA credentials. While the story of the specs remains unchanged, it seems that the handset will be marketed and sold as the Xperia T. [Android Central]
CyanogenMod drops support for Snapdragon S1 devices
At some point, you simply have to cut legacy devices loose, and that day has come for CyanogenMod's support of first generation Snapdragon handsets. Project leaders announced the decision to not support the QSD8x50, MSM7x25, MSM7x27 and MSM7x27T SoCs beyond the Gingerbread branch of Android, which was due in large part due to technical limitations and the lack of compatible media libraries. Further, it was feared that the necessary changes would cause the software to fail the Android Test Compatibility Suite -- a sacrifice the team was unwilling to make. [Android Police]
Sony Xperia Tipo prepares for British invasion
Sony's entry-level Tipo smartphone has been announced for availability this month in the UK through O2 and Orange. For those who'd like a set date, however, the handset will make an early arrival at Carphone Warehouse on August 8th for £120 SIM-free. The little one combines an 800MHz CPU with a 3.2-inch HVGA display, a 3.2-megapixel camera and Android 4.0. [Android Central, Unwired View]
Galaxy Nexus for Sprint and Verizon Wireless now available free on contract
While we genuinely prefer the unlocked Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ that's available directly from Google for $349, it's hard to argue with something that's free, and that's exactly what you can now expect from the phone's LTE variants at Sprint and Verizon Wireless. Unfortunately, there are a couple "gotchas" associated with the deals. In the case of Sprint, you'll need to be a new customer (or activate a new line) to quality for the $150 discount. Meanwhile, the Verizon model is only available from Best Buy, and it'll be free for a limited time only. [PhoneArena, Android Central]
Vodafone UK intros BlackBerry Curve 9320 in blue and purple
Vodafone brought two new colors of the BlackBerry Curve 9320 into its fold in the UK this week. Known as Vivid Violet and Classic Blue, they'll soon be joined by a pink handset that's yet to receive a cute name. So far, the Curve 9320 lineup at Vodafone has consisted of black and white models. Each is priced the same at £135 outright. [CrackBerry]
US Cellular reports declining net income and customer base in Q2 financial report
The numbers are in for US Cellular, and its year-over-year performance for Q2 is rather bleak. The company posted a net income of $52.7 million, which is down from the $74.9 million figure just one year ago. Revenues, meanwhile, showed a slight uptick, which now sit at $1,029.7 million versus $1,002 million for Q2 in the previous year -- this can be attributed in part to the increasing number of smartphone users, which now sits at 51.9 percent of devices sold. So far, the US Cellular has managed to provide LTE coverage to 30 percent of its customer base and hopes to extend the service to 58 percent of its subscribers by year's end. All things told, however, the carrier lost 48,000 postpaid customers during the quarter, which stings no matter how you look at it. [MobileBurn]
RIM CEO discusses possible licensing model for BlackBerry 10 devices
Thorsten Heins revealed to The Telegraph this week that the company had seriously evaluated Android as a platform, however in the very same interview, he also revealed that the company is actively considering a licensing model for the future of BlackBerry 10. Specifically, he discussed the concept of a BlackBerry 10 reference platform and design, which would then be licensed to others to carry out the actual hardware manufacture. Whether this is an early signal of RIM's departure from the hardware business remains to be seen, but it's rather apparent that radical ideas are being discussed in Waterloo. [The Telegraph]
Simple Mobile reduces its high-speed unlimited smartphone plan to $50 per month
Good news for owners of unlocked AWS smartphones, as Simple Mobile has reduced the price of its unlimited, high-speed smartphone plan from $60 per month to an even more tempting $50. As the MVNO uses T-Mobile's network, you'll need to use extra caution in finding a compatible smartphone, but the Galaxy Nexus that's available from Google will fit the bill just fine. It's also worth pointing out that if you're willing to forego the fast data connections, you can just as easily swing an unlimited 3G plan with Simple Mobile for just $40 per month -- although it's much less tempting in the wake of the latest price drop. [MobileBurn]
Other random tidbits
The Samsung Galaxy S II is now available from Bluegrass Cellular for $110 with a two-year agreement. [Android Central]
Koodo Mobile has announced that the Samsung Galaxy S II X will join its lineup on August 10th. The device will feature Android 4.0, although the carrier has yet to share pricing details. [MobileSyrup]
While the RAZR V was launched at Bell Mobility this Friday, its Motorola counterpart, the Atrix HD LTE is now scheduled for an August 21st arrival. [MobileSyrup]
