Sprint fights back with gear, Google
If the AT&T-Mobile deal goes through, Sprint is not in a good place and it knows it. The new juggernaut will be nearly three times the size of Sprint and Verizon will still outpace it nearly 2-to-1, so what is the carrier to do?
Well, we should see the beginning of its strategy at CTIA, as I would hope it wasn’t blindsided by this move. If it truly was negotiating to buy T-Mobile, it had to have some insight on the deal, so we should see its strategy for staying relevant. This will include multiple pieces of new hardware like the Nexus S 4G, which will land this Spring in $199.
Along with the Nexus S 4G, we should also see the EVO 3D and its glasses-free 3D display. We’re also expecting the Motorola Xoom with WiMax support and the EVO View, a Sprint-optimized version of the HTC Flyer. We may also see a few hardware surprises from the third-largest carrier.
While all the carriers are looking at Android, Sprint is teaming up with Google in a bigger way by enabling all of its users to have Google Voice. Essentially, Sprint is making it easier for its customers to drop its service in the future by ceding control of the phone number but this move may appeal to the tech-savvy crowd who want Google Voice from the start, as well as truly unlimited data plans.
We’ll be hearing a lot from Sprint at the show and it will be having an event Tuesday. We’ll be live blogging the long event, so look for it Tuesday, starting at 1:30 EST (10:30 PST).