Sprint unhappy with Google’s Android phone – needs an iPhone killer fast
By Mike Ferro
AT&T has been hoarding the successful iPhone for some time while other carriers such as Sprint suffer in the smartphone market. Sprint has been aggressively looking to provide a real competitor to the iPhone. There are other phones on the market with touchscreen capability, like the Samsung Instinct. However, no other phone on the market has the Internet capabilities of the iPhone.
Sprint desperately needs a new smartphone to compete with AT&T to claim its stake in the growing mobile data market in the US. Sprint has been working closely with Google on the highly anticipated Android platform for cell phones. The company not only wants to utilize the platform but also wants to develop a distinct service to rival that of the iPhone’s.
However, things are not going as smoothly as anticipated for Sprint. According to Silicon Ally Insider, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse stated in a recent conference that the the Google Android is not yet “good enough to put the Sprint brand on it.” It was surprising that Hesse would publicly talk down the Android after carefully integrating it into Sprint’s future road map.
Sprint has been planing on getting an Android phone out by this Christmas to compete with the iPhone. However, it seems that T-Mobile’s launch is consuming enough of Google’s attention to hamper Sprint’s plans. It looks like Sprint won’t be launching the Android phone this holiday season.
Apparently, Sprint is not happy about playing second fiddle to T-Mobile. Sprint’s stance seems to be that the platform does not deserve the company’s logo on it yet. Despite some rough areas with the Google Android, the platform is definitely more advanced then most of the offerings currently on the market.
One of the greatest aspects about the Andriod platform is its evolving feature set via updates. Sprint could theoretically rush the Android out to the market and then develop its brand-specific service via future updates down the road. As it is now, we will just have to wait and see what Sprint plans on offering this holiday season to compete with the iPhone.
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on Sunday, October 26th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
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October 27th, 2008
I am very shocked that Sprint is saying they dont have a good smartphone to compete with ATT. My goodness, they got the Instinct, Diamond, and the new HTC Touch Pro. They got really good blackberrries too. how can they say they cant compete with the Iphone. My friends have the Iphone and they tell me not to get it because its bad. I am a proud Instinct user, haha.
October 27th, 2008
I’m waiting to see how it all turns out before I adopt.
October 27th, 2008
What an idiot. I was going to go back to Sprint cuz I miss their service (always been good while I was with them)..and I really, really, really don’t want to go to t-mobile cuz they suck. Now I don’t know what to do…guess I’ll stick with this lame iPhone and sucky at&t for now. Nextel really screwed up Sprint.
October 27th, 2008
Sounds like Sprint making excuses.
They are losing customers hand over fist and trying to gloss over their inability to compete and blame it on someone (anyone) else.
Nextel screwed up Sprint? No, I’d say it was the other way around. I think a majority of Nextel users you could talk to Steve would say it went down hill faster once Sprint took over.
November 15th, 2008
doesn’t everyone carry blackberries?? sprint is pissing me off by not carrying something better than what they have now….to me it seems like they missed their chance and are too proud to just suck it up and go with the program.
June 19th, 2009
I am on my samsung instinct now and this phone really isn’t all that cracked up to be i had been wanting the iphone but now i hear that phones not cracked up 2 be either but the G1 with t-mobile is i jus wish they’d come out with some better phones like fashionable like the iphone but work like the G1 sprint doesnt have any phones with the real internet and this phone is gettin on my nerve the camera doesnt have flash or any options like decorating pictures and omg applications on this sad phone and the iphone all cost money but the G1 has SO MANY FREE applications that phone is awesome