With all the cool devices coming out (like the iPhone HD, EVO 4G, Droid Incredible) it’s easy to forget that we’re store for some even better hardware in the not-too-distant future. Now, we’re hearing rumbling that the HTC Scorpion will be coming to Verizon Wireless soon with Android 2.2 and a 1.5 GHz processor.
Previous reports indicated the Scorpion would have support for WiMax, which currently powers Sprint Nextel’s 4G services. As we all know, Verizon is making a big push for its 4G network that’s based on Long-Term Evolution and the Scorpion would be quite an appealing device to bundle service with. But Verizon has said it doesn’t expect 4G handsets until the middle of next year, so there’s a possibility that the Scorpion could just be 3G-only, or that we’ll have to wait a while for this beast.
Not much is known about the form factor of this device but most high-end devices are full-touch slate styles nowadays. The guts are what really excite me, as we know that Qualcomm said a 1.5 GHz version of its processor should hit the shelves by the end of the year. I’m very excited about what this type of raw processing power will enable on my phone but you always have to wonder how this will impact battery life.
The Scorpion should also ship with the latest version of Android, Froyo. One of the coolest things about the latest version of the green robot is the JIT compiler, which could make it 2-5x faster than previous builds. When you factor that with the boosted processor, this should be a highly-capable device.
Android 2.2 also offers a host of other new features, including the ability for native tethering and the ability to use your device as a hotspot. While this will still be up to the carriers, it’s a neat option to have if you’re ever in desperate need for an Internet connection. Check out our hands-on video of native tethering in Android 2.2 in the video below and let us know what you think about the Scorpion in the comments.
[Via MobileCrunch]