Opinion: Droid Incredible 4G: This year's HTC Merge?

[Jowlah]

A rather scary thought came to mind. What if something rather unsettling came up in the internal testing of the HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE and it delayed this phone? The phone that everyone on this forum thread was/is looking for. The images leaked out about 3 months ago, and after much rumor and speculation, Verizon "officially" announced it back in May. Remember the leak on the DroidDoes website that had the phone listed at $299.99? That was subsequently yanked. But there is still a glaring problem; We still have no price, no release date and no promotional materials leaked for it. And since the phone has no dummy units in stores, I think that this phone may be fighting an uphill battle that I think will doom this phone before it ever gets released. Hear me out.

Let's rewind back about a year and a half ago. Think back to the HTC Merge....

http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/25/htc-merge-first-hands-on/

This was going to be the first Verizon-released HTC Android phone with a slide-out keyboard. We heard all the great specs about it. We saw picture leaks. Then Verizon announced it and....well, that is it. It was never really released. It was pushed out on Alltel's and U.S. Cellular's regional network. The Verizon branding was nowhere to be seen and, apparently, the company didn't care enough about the phone and it never saw the light of day as a Verizon product in store or online. Good parallel.

Now it is 2012. And this phone, the Droid Incredible 4G LTE, which I was so certain I was going to get just a month ago, has disapated into me getting the Samsung Galaxy SIII. It's a shame. Verizon has done a horrendous job getting any mindshare with this phone. And I believe that with this upcoming beast of a phone (GSIII) coming out in mere weeks, I think the real reason we aren't hearing anything is two-fold.

1) The GSIII. Verizon will use this phone to push it's bottom line of customers to upgrade to this phone, as it is being billed as the Next big thing...at least until That shiny iPhone 5 gets released. We know that Original/Droid Inc.2 users will likely flock to the New DInc 4G if the price is right...only if we knew WHAT the price was. Verizon will not have the big phone on campus get the bulk of advertising, then spend more big dollars advertising the DInc 4G. Samsung's phone will get the lion's share of Verizon's attention untill the iPhone news gets announced. Meaning that this is all we will hear all summer until then.

2) Tiered Data plans. This phone, whenever it gets released, will likely be released AFTER the new Shared data plans Verizon is shoving down our collective gullets go into effect. Meaning a lot of potential buyers just gave up and went to Samsung. That can be looked at as convienient on Big Red's side or just unfortunate for HTC, because I believe that is the REAL reason this phone will be doomed. It, spec-wise, is also a beast of a phone. And the fact that the Incredible line of phones has fallen from the mainstream conscience of the Verizon advertising machine is a shame. But what can you do.

This is the Merge all over again. :-[

 

[speedtrap63]

I don't know, you could be right, but there isn't really any compelling evidence to support the theory just yet. Also, I submit that you are incorrect about Verizon trying to push everyone who was interested in the Dinc 4G to the SGSIII. The two phones have only one similarity really, the S4 processor. They have many differences but one main one, the SGSIII is enormous!

The main draws of the Dinc 4G are first the S4 processor and second the 4" screen. Feel free to reverse the order of importance if you so desire, but either way, if you really wanted the Dinc 4G, the Galaxy is not an option. I personally don't want to stuff a tablet sized phone in my pocket!

My OG Dinc is still running even if it is getting a bit squirrelly! I'll pay full price for the 4G when it comes out, thereby keeping my unlimited data, or I'll wait for the next big thing, (not iPhone5!), because in the end, size matters!

 

[Jowlah]

I don't know, you could be right, but there isn't really any compelling evidence to support the theory just yet. Also, I submit that you are incorrect about Verizon trying to push everyone who was interested in the Dinc 4G to the SGSIII. The two phones have only one similarity really, the S4 processor. They have many differences but one main one, the SGSIII is enormous!

The main draws of the Dinc 4G are first the S4 processor and second the 4" screen. Feel free to reverse the order of importance if you so desire, but either way, if you really wanted the Dinc 4G, the Galaxy is not an option. I personally don't want to stuff a tablet sized phone in my pocket!

My OG Dinc is still running even if it is getting a bit squirrelly! I'll pay full price for the 4G when it comes out, thereby keeping my unlimited data, or I'll wait for the next big thing, (not iPhone5!), because in the end, size matters!

I am not saying that Verizon is making anyone go to the tiered plans or that Verizon is pushing everyone to the phone, although lack of info from the carrier will do that for them. It's my opinion that Verizon is waiting until after they are official until they announce the phone. I know of many people that changed their minds on getting the Dinc 4G just because of the lack of any information. Trust me, I was 95% sure that this was my next phone. But lack of info and my phone's memory issues led me to get a different phone (GSIII) . Something I will get in the next week or two. No one can tell me when the Dinc 4G will be released. I still think that it is a great phone. The 4 inch screen is a good form factor. But my hands are honking big and I need a bigger screen.

 

[06cbrf4i]

I seen the phone today. On the back of a milk carton at the grocery store. It's a shame this phone wasn't released today like I thought it would be.

 

[speedtrap63]

I am not saying that Verizon is making anyone go to the tiered plans or that Verizon is pushing everyone to the phone, although lack of info from the carrier will do that for them. It's my opinion that Verizon is waiting until after they are official until they announce the phone. I know of many people that changed their minds on getting the Dinc 4G just because of the lack of any information. Trust me, I was 95% sure that this was my next phone. But lack of info and my phone's memory issues led me to get a different phone (GSIII) . Something I will get in the next week or two. No one can tell me when the Dinc 4G will be released. I still think that it is a great phone. The 4 inch screen is a good form factor. But my hands are honking big and I need a bigger screen.

Sorry, I wrote that before I finished my coffee this morning and I was less eloquent than I would have desired!:-!

I am in general agreement with what you said. I was trying to say that people like me who prefer the smaller form factor most likely won't even consider the GSIII. However, some will pick it up as a stop gap to save their data plan, to sell it later on, or for some other reason, even though it isn't their first choice.

I also agree that the lack of info is disturbing, but not completely surprising given that we are talking about Verizon. That said, I'm still holding out hope, despite my big hands, because I just don't want anything over 4.3".

 

[Jowlah]

Sorry, I wrote that before I finished my coffee this morning and I was less eloquent than I would have desired!:-!

I am in general agreement with what you said. I was trying to say that people like me who prefer the smaller form factor most likely won't even consider the GSIII. However, some will pick it up as a stop gap to save their data plan, to sell it later on, or for some other reason, even though it isn't their first choice.

I also agree that the lack of info is disturbing, but not completely surprising given that we are talking about Verizon. That said, I'm still holding out hope, despite my big hands, because I just don't want anything over 4.3".

You hit it on the head. I, as a personal preference think that 4.3" is as big as a phone's display should really get without it looking pretentious, but the GSIII is the exception for me in this case. I pray that the DInc 4G does hit the stores soon. It looks like a great phone. Everyone was really hot for the phobne. But lack of release info has cooled off the phone's buzz for a lot of folks.

 

[Ry]

Was the Merge ever officially announced by Verizon?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

 

[Jowlah]

Was the Merge ever officially announced by Verizon?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

http://www.androidcentral.com/htc-merge-review

It was at one time announced, but if you remember, there was an uproar because Verizon put Bing on the phone and the internet was all in a tizzy.

http://www.androidcentral.com/veriz...htc-merge-droid-pro-lg-env-pro-droid-2-global

It was even in it's X-mas product catalog.
http://www.androidcentral.com/verizon-htc-merge-its-christmas-miracle

 

[Ry]

http://www.androidcentral.com/htc-merge-review

It was at one time announced, but if you remember, there was an uproar because Verizon put Bing on the phone and the internet was all in a tizzy.

http://www.androidcentral.com/veriz...htc-merge-droid-pro-lg-env-pro-droid-2-global

It was even in it's X-mas product catalog.
http://www.androidcentral.com/verizon-htc-merge-its-christmas-miracle

but no actual press release or announcement, right?

Who ended up selling it for Verizon? Was it Costco?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

 

[Jowlah]

I think it was Costco.

 

[speedtrap63]

Saw this yesterday, http://www.droid-life.com/2012/06/21/incredible-4g-lte-pushed-back-to-july/ .

The buzz is gone for many, but I'm still in for now. I have to say that I have been looking closer at the Nexus again, and can see the appeal of a larger screen. Just can't quite visualize myself carrying anything over 4.3".

 

[Theot]

Saw this yesterday, http://www.droid-life.com/2012/06/21/incredible-4g-lte-pushed-back-to-july/ .

The buzz is gone for many, but I'm still in for now. I have to say that I have been looking closer at the Nexus again, and can see the appeal of a larger screen. Just can't quite visualize myself carrying anything over 4.3".

The Rezound is $79 right now, 4.3" with dual core S3 and a 720p screen. I can't justify more than $150 for a phone when I pay out over $200 a month for service personally. If there ends up being no Dinc 4G I may end up buying a Rez outright used or something and keep my Unlimited plan come september when my upgrade hits.

 

[verymadworld1988]

Sorry, I wrote that before I finished my coffee this morning and I was less eloquent than I would have desired!:-!

I am in general agreement with what you said. I was trying to say that people like me who prefer the smaller form factor most likely won't even consider the GSIII. However, some will pick it up as a stop gap to save their data plan, to sell it later on, or for some other reason, even though it isn't their first choice.

I also agree that the lack of info is disturbing, but not completely surprising given that we are talking about Verizon. That said, I'm still holding out hope, despite my big hands, because I just don't want anything over 4.3".

That is EXACTLY what I did. Verizon sent me a $100 off coupon to upgrade four months early to a 4g phone and I used that towards me pre-order of the GS3 so I only ended up paying $130 for a phone that I can probably resell for WAY more than that down the line if HTC actually decides to put out a One series phone on Verizon that I want. That and I get to keep my grandfathered unlimited data for another 2 years. I actually feel like I took the house on this one. There is no way in hell I was holding my breath for the Dinc 4G.