thunderbolt release before iPhone?

**honex97** · 01-12-2011, 07:31 PM

Ive been surfing the web and Ive been reading something about Verizon reps were told today that the thunderbolt would be releasing before the iPhone 4. has anyone heard this or is this just wishful thinking?

**eternale0** · 01-12-2011, 07:41 PM

I know nothing more then anyone else so take this with a grain of salt but I went to a local Verizon store today and...he said no 4G LTE phones until June. My contract with my current provider ends in a month! I'm excited to finally take the leap into the android world, but waiting till June is disappointing to say the least...Hopefully he's wrong. He basically told me to suck it up, wait it out and not bother getting anything until then because I'd be stuck paying full price for the thunderbolt...

**honex97** · 01-12-2011, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by eternale0

I know nothing more then anyone else so take this with a grain of salt but I went to a local Verizon store today and...he said no 4G LTE phones until June. My contract with my current provider ends in a month! I'm excited to finally take the leap into the android world, but waiting till June is disappointing to say the least...Hopefully he's wrong. He basically told me to suck it up, wait it out and not bother getting anything until then because I'd be stuck paying full price for the thunderbolt...

Well that can't be right because at CES they said the bionic would be out early 2qt so that's in April and the thunderbolt is supposed to be out before that or so I thoight

**hydroz_23** · 01-12-2011, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by eternale0

went to a local Verizon store today and...he said no 4G LTE phones until June.

No LTE service till june. There will be LTE/3G devices before then

**eternale0** · 01-12-2011, 08:04 PM

Ya that could be the case but the town that store is in definitely falls into a "yes 4G is available right now" on the verizon.com map... But who knows what that really means

**Haso17** · 01-12-2011, 08:37 PM

If you guys saw about a week before CES, there was a post that the Tbolt and the no name Samsung were put into inventory onto verizons database. Expect a release about late Jan. early Feb. As for the LTE service not being available, it most certainly is in the specific areas. Most VZ execs are already sporting the network and the current LTE laptop cards work off of it.

**Chris Kerrigan** · 01-12-2011, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by hydroz_23

No LTE service till june. There will be LTE/3G devices before then

Current LTE service is for laptops and such only, so it's possible the LTE phones will launch before the nationwide LTE phone network is turned on.

**NickF227** · 01-12-2011, 08:44 PM

I hope it comes before then, because my Eris is on its last legs, and my contract is up a week before my birthday, Feb 27, and I'd kinda like a new phone, and I don't wanna have to get an iPhone or an outdated Android.

**Raptor007** · 01-12-2011, 09:04 PM

Verizon store reps are trained to sell what you have today, which means they don't know squat because if they did they certainly wouldn't tell us anyways. They have to meet quota.

**hydroz_23** · 01-12-2011, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by Chris Kerrigan

Current LTE service is for laptops and such only, so it's possible the LTE phones will launch before the nationwide LTE phone network is turned on.

Right! You just said the same exact thing that i did

Originally Posted by hydroz_23

No LTE service till june. There will be LTE/3G devices before then

**douglaswilson** · 01-13-2011, 01:27 AM

4G phone service is available now in certain locations (Houston). Why does everyone keep saying its not available yet? If the Thunderbolt comes out first I will get that otherwise it looks like it will be the iPhone!

**douglaswilson** · 01-13-2011, 01:30 AM

Wrong! 4G service is available NOW in certain markets across the country.

Originally Posted by hydroz_23

Right! You just said the same exact thing that i did

**Droid800** · 01-13-2011, 01:35 AM

Originally Posted by douglaswilson

4G phone service is available now in certain locations (Houston). Why does everyone keep saying its not available yet? If the Thunderbolt comes out first I will get that otherwise it looks like it will be the iPhone!

I think he's talking about consumer handsets. It is available, but only through data cards.

**DolfanCole** · 01-13-2011, 08:36 AM

Verizon has stated in their press releases that the 4G phones they introduced at CES (which have been the only 4G phones introduced by them, and includes the Thunderbolt) will not be released until March at the earliest. I'm taking their word on this.

**hydroz_23** · 01-13-2011, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by douglaswilson

Wrong! 4G service is available NOW in certain markets across the country.

Not for phones! That was my point in my op. It is for phones in a couple areas for phones for testing not for consumers like Houston and Vegas. Just because it exists does not mean it is available

**Armyntt** · 01-13-2011, 09:12 AM

I wish the TB would release before the Iphone. I want the TB but i dont wanna wait till March. I feel like itll be so outdated within 6 mos. Id wait for the Bionic if it released in March but i dont want to till march for an EVO. Even then im not gettin the Bionic if its bootloader is locked.

**DolfanCole** · 01-13-2011, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by Armyntt

I wish the TB would release before the Iphone. I want the TB but i dont wanna wait till March. I feel like itll be so outdated within 6 mos. Id wait for the Bionic if it released in March but i dont want to till march for an EVO. Even then im not gettin the Bionic if its bootloader is locked.

You are not alone my friend. That's part of the big debate and hard decisions people are going through, including myself. With the expected release date of the TBolt being March and the Bionic soon to follow (some have speculated mid-April), then you'll have basically a month separation between devices where one strictly hardware-wise is much better than the other. So why would one wait until March to get the TBolt, when you could wait a month longer to get a better spec'd device in the Bionic? Well, when you start also considering Sense vs. Blur, locked bootloader vs. openness, promptness of updates, etc., that's when things get tilted back towards the "lower spec'd" device. Decisions, decisions ... Tough shoes to be in. But, you've got company.

**mclarryjr** · 01-13-2011, 10:12 AM

Verizon won't release a better phone (TB) before the iphone because it could hurt their sales. I think we'll see the TB release a few weeks after the iphone and then the Bionic a month or two after the TB (these are just guesses I have no facts).

**bkorver** · 01-13-2011, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by DolfanCole

Well, when you start also considering Sense vs. Blur, locked bootloader vs. openness, promptness of updates, etc., that's when things get tilted back towards the "lower spec'd" device. Decisions, decisions ... Tough shoes to be in. But, you've got company.

Well said. +1

**loyolacs** · 01-13-2011, 10:30 AM

i switched over this week from ATT to verizon and got two HTC incredibles off Amazon for a penny each. i wanted to wait for the thunderbolt, but my wife and i both need knew phones. Fortunately, we are going to be adding a line around May for my daughter so i will be able to get whichever new phone is best at that time and give my incredible to my daughter. Im definately leaning towards the thunderbolt though since i have used HTC Sense with my Tilt and Tilt 2 for about 3 years now. Guess i will wait and see if the Bionic is worth the switch away from Sense, but meanwhile i will enjoy my free phones knowing i will be getting a new one in 5 months. Also will be able to upgrade my line again next january because i will be grandfathered in before the new policies take effect on Jan 16th.

**Armyntt** · 01-13-2011, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by DolfanCole

You are not alone my friend. That's part of the big debate and hard decisions people are going through, including myself. With the expected release date of the TBolt being March and the Bionic soon to follow (some have speculated mid-April), then you'll have basically a month separation between devices where one strictly hardware-wise is much better than the other. So why would one wait until March to get the TBolt, when you could wait a month longer to get a better spec'd device in the Bionic? Well, when you start also considering Sense vs. Blur, locked bootloader vs. openness, promptness of updates, etc., that's when things get tilted back towards the "lower spec'd" device. Decisions, decisions ... Tough shoes to be in. But, you've got company.

Not just that but the longer I wait the less i get my money's worth. Reason being Im only goin to have the phone till Oct at the absolute latest. (deploying to Afghanistan). I was hoping from when the TB was still the INC HD or the MECHA a January release.

**roxy surf** · 01-13-2011, 11:53 AM

There would be no way they would release the TB before selling the year old iphone...anyone who knew any better would go for the TB...Verizon and Apple are too smart for that...anyway, I hope the release of the Thunderbolt isn't too much longer, my contract was up the beginning of January and I'm dealing with a BB Tour with a broken trackball

**Raptor007** · 01-13-2011, 09:44 PM

Even Verizon knows those who want an iPhone are not the same users who want Android. By and large they are two different camps, sheep who follow blindly and the tech savy enthusiast crowd with friends/family who got their knowledge about Android from them and know its cool shiz.

**NickF227** · 01-13-2011, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by Raptor007

Even Verizon knows those who want an iPhone are not the same users who want Android. By and large they are two different camps, sheep who follow blindly and the tech savy enthusiast crowd with friends/family who got their knowledge about Android from them and know its cool shiz.

True, but those people that were turned on to Android by people like me, now want the iPhone now that its coming to VZW, and even some of the original adopters want it. D:

**Droid800** · 01-13-2011, 11:44 PM

Originally Posted by Raptor007

Even Verizon knows those who want an iPhone are not the same users who want Android. By and large they are two different camps, sheep who follow blindly and the tech savy enthusiast crowd with friends/family who got their knowledge about Android from them and know its cool shiz.

Careful there, bud, there are just as many tech savvy people that want iPhones as there are that just want it because its the cool thing to have.