A Few More Android Phones on the Horizon
It seems we can’t even go a week without hearing about a new Android phone coming to the market. Just the other day, the Nexus S 4G was released on Sprint. Shortly before that, the Droid Charge hit Verizon Wireless.T-Mobile got in on the action with the G2x prior to that, and AT&T had the Atrix 4G and Inspire 4G to compete with Verizon’s Thunderbolt released right around the same time. The Droid Incredible 2 came out somewhere between all of that too. Well, as you’d expect, more Android phones are due to hit the market soon, and we have a list of some of the most anticipated.
1: Samsung Galaxy S II
The original Galaxy S was a monumental success for Samsung, selling tens of millions of units worldwide, and in the US, every major carrier had their own version of it as well: the Fascinate on Verizon, Captivate on AT&T, Vibrant on T-Mobile, and Epic 4G on Sprint. Samsung has a similar distribution plan for the Galaxy S II, beginning with its launch in South Korea (Samsung’s home field), which has already happened, then spreading worldwide in the following months. In terms of hardware, the Galaxy S II has a very similar dual-core processor to the iPad 2, except considerably faster. It’s going to be one amazingly fast phone.
2: Sprint EVO 3D
The EVO 3D is essentially a faster, dual-core version of the immensely popular EVO 4G, with the added benefit of a high-resolution glasses free 3D screen and dual-camera design for stereoscopic 3D recording. Just like the original EVO, it’s going to be absolutely ground breaking, bringing the potential for things like 3D effects, 3D homescreen organization and widgets, and an even more immersive 3D gaming experience. It’s expected to be out on Sprint early this summer.
3: HTC Sensation
The HTC Sensation is basically a GSM version of the EVO 3D, minus all of the 3D parts. Now, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you’ve ever played with the Nintendo 3DS, you’ve probably noticed that glasses-free 3D screens aren’t exactly the easiest on the eyes, and for 2D content, image quality takes a pretty big hit. The Sensation gives you the blazing speed of the EVO 3D’s dual-core processor, but without the downsides of 3D hardware. It’s expected to launch for T-Mobile on June 8th this year.
4: Motorola Droid X² (aka X-Squared)
Here’s yet another popular device from last year receiving a significant upgrade. Unlike the new EVO and Galaxy S II, the Droid X-Squared will look almost exactly like its predecessor, the Droid X, but don’t let that fool you. The X-Squared will have the latest dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor (well over twice as fast as the original Droid X). It will also be receiving an upgrade in screen resolution, an improved 8MP camera, and, supposedly, a bump onto Verizon’s super fast 4G LTE network.
5: Samsung Infuse 4G
The Infuse 4G is almost like an experiment in pushing the envelope with regards to smartphone screen sizes. At 4.5-inches, it’s a bit larger than the current “large” phones at 4.3-inches, though the Dell Streak did have a 5-inch screen (it proved to be unpopular). Its hardware isn’t anything revolutionary, but it’s still plenty fast with its 1.2 GHz processor. The Infuse 4G will be out on AT&T on May 15th.
I’ve been looking at these and considering buying.. just haven’t made up my mind yet.
Hi there George. Thanks for the comment. I’m actually a big fan of the HTC Sensation. It has some pretty impeccable build quality and is one of the highest performing smartphones on the market right now. The Samsung Galaxy S II does outperform it by a slight margin though; however, I much prefer HTC’s SenseIU over Samsung’s TouchWiz. The Galaxy S II is also made from a different grade plastic (and has no aluminum body reinforcement like the Sensation does). This makes it feel a little flimsier in the hand, but the build quality is still good.