SAN DIEGO – While not traditionally considered a “device” show, the annual fall CTIA event has on occasion been a chance for carriers and device makers to roll out new products ahead of the holiday shopping season.
This year, however, the device news was a bit slim as it appears most were leaving room for Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. expected unveiling of its latest smartphone set to run Google Inc.’s latest Android variant dubbed Ice Cream Sandwich. Unfortunately, the companies cancelled their planned event just prior to the show citing the recent death of Apple Inc.’s CEO Steve Jobs.
AT&T Mobility got a bit of a jump on the event by announcing a significant expansion of its smartphone line up powered by Google’s Android OS, which were announced in the wake of last week’s iPhone 4S unveiling from Apple that AT&T Mobility said resulted in record pre-sale orders over last weekend. The new devices also will have to deal with the continued availability of the iPhone 3GS model that AT&T Mobility will be giving away for free with a two-year contract.
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. also used the event to tout its plans to break into the top five of device vendors in the U.S. market, though the plans lacked any real punch or significant device announcements.
Beyond those announcements, the remaining device news was somewhat limited.
–Leap Wireless International Inc. launched the Samsung Telecommunications America’s Transfix (SCH-R730 in Samsung jargon). The smartphone runs Google Inc.’s Android 2.3 operating system, sports a 3.2-inch touchscreen, is powered by an 800 MHz processor and includes a 3.2-megapixel camera. The Transfix is available now at a retail price of $180.
–While not exactly a phone, T-Mobile USA Inc. said it has expanded the functionality of its Bobsled Voice over Internet Protocol service that allows users to place calls to their Facebook friends from most desktop browsers, Android-powered smartphones and tablets and devices powered by Apple Inc.’s iOS platform. The service also now allows users to place free phone calls to any mobile or landline phone number in the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico from inside or outside the United States from their desktop browser.
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