Photon 4G EOL'd in April - What's next?

**SERO wireless** · 03-23-2012, 12:25 AM

The Photon 4G was a successful flagship phone for Sprint. It's scheduled for . It seems unlikely that they would drop the Photon without a replacement but there hasn't been a peep - no FCC approvals, no leaks, nada. I'm guessing an ATRIX 2 update with LTE is [HL]somewhere[/HL], but it doesn't look like it will be ready before the Photon is retired. Does anyone know what's next?

**inkdup102586** · 03-23-2012, 01:01 AM

i was just told the photon is one of the only available that will be able to use LTE, why would they get rid of it?

**JustSomeDudeHere** · 03-23-2012, 01:26 AM

Originally Posted by inkdup102586

i was just told the photon is one of the only available that will be able to use LTE, why would they get rid of it?

The photon can NOT be used on LTE. I know some uninformed Sprint employees have been spreading this lie, so that's a shame. More info here:

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk

**Walter E Kurtz** · 03-23-2012, 04:42 AM

Originally Posted by happyturkey

The photon can NOT be used on LTE. I know some uninformed Sprint employees have been spreading this lie, so that's a shame. More info here:

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk

Wait so does that mean I won't be able to use 4G anymore? If so, when will this start?

**beantown** · 03-23-2012, 08:14 AM

WOW, oh WOW...if indeed that is true, the Photon 4G didn't live a long life, granted it's a cousin to the Atrix which has been out for sometime, but WOW...in my honest opinion this was a great phone...

**JustSomeDudeHere** · 03-23-2012, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Walter E Kurtz

Wait so does that mean I won't be able to use 4G anymore? If so, when will this start?

You will still be able to use WiMax 4g if you have it now - WiMax will supposedly still be supported until 2015 - but they won't be expanding WiMax at all anymore ( so for those of us who can only get 4g right now by being outside, near a Sprint store, while standing on one foot, that won't get any better for the Photon)

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**Paul627g** · 03-23-2012, 10:09 AM

Turn to the dev community... Just like the Galaxy S line, they were supposed to be at their EOL back months ago and have received their official Gingerbread updates and now the dev community has come to the rescue with giving so many GB stranded devices a chance at CM9 (ICS).

**Dreamliner330** · 03-23-2012, 02:03 PM

It's decisions like this that have me thinking of Verizon. 'Unlimited' is pointless when 4G doesn't work and 3G is ~300k...

Except for the PenTile screen, the Photon is the best phone on Sprint right now.

I just wish we could get the Droid RAZR MAXX on Sprint with a IPS display

**andoman** · 03-23-2012, 07:49 PM

Boy would it be sweet if the photon 2 or photon replacement was a variant of the razr maxx!

**KahneFan** · 03-23-2012, 08:58 PM

Photon --> (Sprint version) Note?

I can dream.

**SERO wireless** · 03-23-2012, 11:14 PM

While Sprint has changed their focus from business users to, uh, college students they still have a lot of customers who are business users. Blackberry isn't keeping up and Motorola has done a pretty good job of taking up the slack. It's unlikely that Sprint would abandon their business customers to add another gaming device to their lineup.

**coolqf** · 03-24-2012, 01:54 AM

Originally Posted by SERO wireless

While Sprint has changed their focus from business users to, uh, college students they still have a lot of customers who are business users. Blackberry isn't keeping up and Motorola has done a pretty good job of taking up the slack. It's unlikely that Sprint would abandon their business customers to add another gaming device to their lineup.

Very well said. We'll see how things turn out. As of now the best non BB global phone will he an HTC with 768 of ram. On 2012, hardly high end for android.

I travel a lot so it looks like it makes more sense to try out att, tmobile, verizon.

Sent from my Photon

**jstates916** · 03-24-2012, 02:38 AM

Originally Posted by dreamliner

It's decisions like this that have me thinking of Verizon. 'Unlimited' is pointless when 4G doesn't work and 3G is ~300k...

Except for the PenTile screen, the Photon is the best phone on Sprint right now.

I just wish we could get the Droid RAZR MAXX on Sprint with a IPS display

best phone on Sprint? Ate you kidding me the SGS2 bored this phone outta the water

**jstates916** · 03-24-2012, 02:39 AM

Originally Posted by jstates916

best phone on Sprint? Are you kidding me the SGS2 blows this phone outta the water

**Dreamliner330** · 03-24-2012, 02:47 AM

Originally Posted by jstates916

best phone on Sprint? Ate you kidding me the SGS2 bored this phone outta the water

Except for screen resolution, battery life, signal strength, call quality and speakerphone quality...

**JustSomeDudeHere** · 03-24-2012, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by dreamliner

Except for screen resolution, battery life, signal strength, call quality and speakerphone quality...

Yeah, the et4g is an amazing little tablet device, but with it's weak Samsung data and gps radios, that's all it is. The Photon's the best on Sprint in terms of actual functionality. I get data, phone, and gps signal when friends on the et4g are roaming data, dropping calls, and taking minutes to get a gps lock (if ever).
(Now, my superior data connection is still on Sprint's crappy network, but that's another issue)

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk

**ssg27** · 03-27-2012, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by happyturkey

The photon can NOT be used on LTE. I know some uninformed Sprint employees have been spreading this lie, so that's a shame. More info here:

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk

If it's not LTE capable, then why are there numerous lines in the build.prop file with LTE settings for Verizon?

**coolqf** · 03-27-2012, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by ssg27

If it's not LTE capable, then why are there numerous lines in the build.prop file with LTE settings for Verizon?

Think of Windows. It has a lot of drivers printers and Bluetooth. That doesn't mean that your phone comes with them inside

Sent from my Photon

**Dreamliner330** · 03-27-2012, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by andoman

Boy would it be sweet if the photon 2 or photon replacement was a variant of the razr maxx!

I would love that sooo much. I really wish there was some sort of timeline on what Motorola is releasing on Sprint next. I may get the HTC One X...but would kick myself if a Moto is released a couple months later.

**SERO wireless** · 03-27-2012, 01:40 PM

The signs point towards a late May - possibly early June - release from Motorola. It will produce shock, awe and envy.

**Dreamliner330** · 03-27-2012, 02:19 PM

^what signs?

**BergerKing** · 03-27-2012, 02:56 PM

I expected this when I upgraded as prices fell. It doesn't hurt badly because there isn't a better mix for my needs available for some time, anyway. Compared to my venerable BlackBerry Style, it's a nuclear bomb. Not as efficient for messaging, but quite acceptable. But media-wise, quite an improvement
Battery life has been better for me, surprisingly, without a lot of tweaking. Considering the screen is at least 2 anda half times the size, that ain't bad.

A 9 month run isn't too shabby, and it'll be in stock for some time when you consider that stores still stock new Evo Shifts and Epics, and that their price is the same as the Photon, in many cases.

**strawhatnito0890** · 03-28-2012, 01:15 AM

Wow dis crazy my photon is great hate to see it go but ikno sumthin better is on da way

**ssg27** · 03-30-2012, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by coolqf

Think of Windows. It has a lot of drivers printers and Bluetooth. That doesn't mean that your phone comes with them inside

Sent from my Photon

Oh ok. Thanks for the info.. and the Windows analogy really helped :P

**jhasty** · 03-31-2012, 12:57 AM

I'm just wondering if Sprint doing EOL on Photon will change Motorola's plan for ICS. I would be happy with this phone for a good while if it is upgraded to Android 4.0.