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Canada joins Five Eyes allies in banning Huawei and ZTE 5G telecom gear
Canada is banning 4G and 5G telecom equipment from Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE, joining its "Five Eyes" allies in doing so.
Android 10 may reach Pixel phones on September 3rd
It's been months since Google started testing Android Q (now Android 10), so where's the finished version? If you believe Canadian carriers, it's right around the corner. Both Rogers (since pulled) and Telus have posted support documents indicating that all Pixel phones will receive Android 10 starting on September 3rd, ranging from the originals through to the Pixel 3a line. We'd treat these dates with skepticism, but they line up with Google's recent history of releasing finished Android versions in late summer for the Pixel line and other devices with virtually stock software.
Google's Daydream View VR reaches stores November 10th
You won't have to wait much longer to see whether or not Google's Daydream View headset is a viable contender to the likes of Gear VR. Google has announced that its virtual reality wearable will reach both the Google Store and retail in five countries (the US, Canada, UK, Germany and Australia) on November 10th. In the US, it'll be available for $79 through Best Buy and Verizon. British buyers can track it down for £69 at Carphone Warehouse or EE, and Canadians can pick it up for $99 at Best Buy, Bell, Rogers or Telus.
Moto G makes its North American debut at Telus and Koodo
The Moto G may not reach the US until January, but that doesn't mean it will be unavailable on North American shores until then. Motorola's budget wunderkind has just reached the continent through Canada's Telus and its low-cost Koodo brand. Both carriers are selling the 8GB smartphone for $200 CAD ($189 US) off-contract; thriftier shoppers can get the Moto G for free on a two-year Telus agreement, or $50 at Koodo with a $150 use tab. Other local carriers aren't expected to offer the Moto G in the near future, so this may represent the best chance of getting the handset for both Canucks and eager American importers.
Leak hints Telus will offer NFC-enabled SIMs on October 10th
After nearly a year of being the only NFC-based SIM supplier in Canada, it seems that Rogers is about to get some competition. An internal document spotted by MobileSyrup appears to indicate that Telus is planning on launching a new $15 NFC-enabled SIM card on October 10th. It's said to be compatible with the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and the Samsung Galaxy S III at launch, and should deliver LTE and HSPA+ speeds. Like the CIBC and Rogers deal, customers will require a credit card and a downloaded app from an eligible bank in order to make those over-the-air transactions. We don't know more details than that, but here's hoping you'll be able to use it at your local Tim Hortons.
Nokia Lumia 1020 and 625 launch in Canada
After teasing its release plans in the summer, Nokia has finally launched two of its most recent smartphones in Canada. The Lumia 1020 is now available through both Rogers and Telus for $199 on a two-year contract ($600 to $725 contract-free) in either yellow or black. Aspiring shutterbugs can also buy the camera grip in either color for $75. If the 1020 is beyond your budget, you'll be glad to hear that Telus is also offering the Lumia 625 for free on a contract, or $300 with no commitment. The releases aren't well-timed when Nokia is unveiling new devices in a matter of weeks, but Canucks who've faced a recent drought of Windows Phones should be happy.
BlackBerry Z30 reaches the FCC with Canada-ready LTE
BlackBerry hasn't said exactly when the Z30 will reach North America, but we now know that it's getting close -- a GSM variant with compatible LTE has reached the FCC. The smartphone supports 4G on both the 1,700MHz and 2,600MHz bands, suggesting that it will soon launch through bigger Canadian carriers like Bell, Rogers and Telus. We'll still have to wait for an American model, however. Despite the US-friendly 1,700MHz LTE, this Z30 is missing both the 700MHz LTE needed for AT&T as well as the 1,700MHz 3G that T-Mobile would want. The promised Verizon model also hasn't received FCC approval. The news won't satisfy everyone wanting a big BlackBerry, but those who want to explore the Z30 in depth can check out both the Canadian phone and its just-launched European counterpart at the source links.
LG G2 ships to six Canadian carriers on September 27th
Canadians won't have to wait long for their version of the LG G2. The 5.2-inch smartphone is now due to reach Bell, Rogers, Sasktel, Telus, Videotron and Wind Mobile on September 27th, two days after it launches on T-Mobile in the States. The carriers haven't yet divulged pricing, although we're not expecting Bell, Rogers or Telus to charge much more than $200 on contract, like some of their American counterparts.
Apple lists model numbers, carriers for new iPhones
Apple has posted a web page showing the various worldwide model numbers and LTE carriers for the new iPhone 5c and 5s. The list shows something fascinating for the the four major mobile carriers in the US -- now AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile will all use the same devices thanks to the new radio chips used. The model A1532 iPhone 5c and A1533 iPhone 5s will run on those carriers as well as Bell, Rogers and Telus in Canada. Sprint users will have a completely different set of model numbers: A1456 for the iPhone 5c and A1453 for the iPhone 5s. Those same SKUs will also work in Japan on the KDDI and Softbank cellular networks.
Telus to bring Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear to Canada on October 4th
Canadians won't have to wait much longer than their American counterparts to get their hands on the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear. Telus sends word that it will carry both Samsung devices on October 4th, just a few days after AT&T gets its turn at the Note 3. The carrier doesn't yet have pricing. As for additional Canadian networks? We've reached out to Bell and Rogers for their launch details, and we'll let you know when they have something to share. If history is any indication, though, other providers will quickly follow in Telus' footsteps.
Verizon CEO: No Canadian expansion planned
The Canadian government has been looking for ways to expand mobile coverage from three nationwide carriers -- Rogers, Bell Wireless and Telus -- to four. There were hopes that US carrier Verizon Wireless would purchase a small Canadian regional carrier, then buy spectrum in a government auction that's coming up in two weeks and expand nationwide. Well, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam threw a bucket of cold maple syrup onto that plate of poutine, noting point-blank that "Verizon is not going to Canada." That's the result of Verizon spending US$130 billion to buy out Vodafone's share of the company. Without the cash to invest in either Wind Mobile or Mobilicity, two small and struggling Canadian regional wireless carriers, Verizon won't be making any big moves north of the border any time soon. [via iMore]
Telus document: iPhone 5 models could be discontinued September 28th
A leaked document from Telus seems to confirm recent rumblings that the iPhone 5 could be discontinued following Apple's colorful event on September 10th. The internal notice of discontinuation shows 32GB and 64GB versions of the phone disappearing on September 28th (one day after the expected 5S availability), with the 16GB model escaping the axe. That lines up with rumors that the iPhone 5 will be displaced by a new iPhone 5S model at the high end, and a widely rumored, multi-hued plastic version at the mid end. Prescient analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also thought the 16GB iPhone 5 would stay on to bolster the bottom of the lineup, much the way the 4S does right now. All of that seems to tie everything up in a nice bow, but still -- rumors and leaks, right?
Nokia Lumia 1020 coming to Canada through Rogers and Telus
Canadians won't miss out on the Lumia 1020's photographic prowess for much longer. Following rumors and teases, Nokia has confirmed that its flagship Windows Phone is coming to both Rogers and Telus. There's no official word on ship dates or prices, but the company says the 1020 will be available in both black and yellow. Let's hope that it reaches Canada soon -- rumors persist of even bigger devices that could overshadow the 1020 in the near future.
Mobile Miscellany: week of August 19th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought a free TV streaming service for Bell subscribers, the arrival of NFL Mobile to BlackBerry 10 and little bit of Windows Phone love from General Motors. These stories and more await. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of August 19th, 2013.
LG G2 coming to six major Canadian carriers this fall
LG was unsurprisingly silent regarding a Canadian launch for the G2 at its New York City event, but it's making up for that today with initial release details for the country. As in the US, LG plans to support most larger carriers: its 5.2-inch phone will be available this fall through Bell, Rogers, SaskTel, Telus, Videotron and Wind Mobile. There are no mentions of pricing at this stage, although the Canadian G2 will share the American variant's 3,000mAh battery and 32GB of storage. It will at least offer more variety in the local smartphone selection -- when the G2 ships, many Canucks will see at least two Android flagships on their network of choice.
Mobile Miscellany: week of August 5th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought a smartphone inspired by TopGear's 2012 supercar of the year, leaks of a water-resistant handset for T-Mobile and an Android smartphone from LG that sells for under $100 outright. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of August 5th, 2013.
LG G2 reaches the FCC with North American LTE
Want to know which North American carriers might offer the LG G2 after August 7th? The FCC is offering a big hint: it just approved a region-appropriate version of the Android flagship. Going under its D801 codename, the G2 variant cleared by the agency supports all the LTE and HSPA frequencies used by AT&T, T-Mobile and large Canadian networks. As such, it's likely that the smartphone will get a multi-carrier launch next month. The real question is whether or not any CDMA providers (which aren't included in the filing) will come along for the ride.
Canadian telecom Telus first to offer shortened two-year wireless contracts
Canadians can finally say goodbye to the dreaded three-year cell contracts they've been strapped with for too long: Telus is now offering a two-year contract per Canada's new wireless code. The company announced as much today in a statement which said the new plans kick off on July 30th, with both unlimited talk and text included (not to mention shareable data on a single account). It's the latest addition to the company's long-standing "Clear and Simple" plan. The plans are available for individuals, families, and small business as well -- with up to 15 devices connected under a single plan with the latter option. Most importantly, of course, Canadians can now enjoy the same two-year cycle of buyer's remorse that us Americans have been dealing with for years now. Just 23 months and 30 days until you can get that new phone!
IRL: Macally Ecofan Pro and the Nexus 4 on Telus
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Is it worth spending $40 on a laptop stand? How about $299 on a Nexus 4? Yes and yes, at least if you ask the Engadget staff. After the break, Don Melanson explains why he splurged on a solid wood notebook stand, and Jon Fingas makes a case for the Nexus 4 as a budget handset.
iPad and iPad mini coming to Rogers and Telus, iPhone 5 nano-SIMs reach Wind
While it's been easy for Canadians to get data plans for the iPad and iPad mini, they haven't had the luxury of picking one up at a carrier store like their American neighbors. They will soon, however: Rogers and Telus say they'll be selling the LTE versions of both iPads sometime in the "coming weeks." Details are scarce, although the two networks promise that they'll keep offering contract-free data plans. We've reached out to learn whether or not Bell is following suit. There isn't any talk of similar offerings with smaller providers, although Wind Mobile is offering an olive branch to iPhone owners. The carrier is now selling $25 nano-SIM cards for those who've bought an unlocked, AWS-friendly iPhone 5 through Apple. These customers won't have LTE, but they'll get HSPA+ data on less expensive (and less restricted) plans. Hit Wind's Facebook page to learn just which devices qualify.