Motorola accidentally reveals details, images of Droid smartphone
The company's Website briefly hosted the details, and the blogosphere goes wild
By John Cox on Fri, 10/23/09 - 11:15am.
[This is a slightly modified version of a news story appearing elsewhere on this Website]
The world got an apparently unplanned preview of the Android-based Droid phone when Motorola briefly posted online the official Web pages describing, and showing, the new 3G smartphone in depth.
The impression is that of an Android iPhone with a slider keyboard.
The pages were quickly yanked from the Web, but not before bloggers and newsites quickly captured them. Slashgear even recorded their navigation through the phone's 3-D simulation and posted it online.
The new phone is scheduled to be formally announced for Verizon's network on October 28. There is still no word on pricing but many pundits expect it to be around $200, with a service contract, to be competitive with the iPhone from AT&T.
[Check out the "smartphone smackdown" between the Droid and iPhone 3GS]
The leaked information confirms the rumors swirling around the Droid (the name itself is licensed form George Lucas' Lucasfilms) since Verizon's controversial TV ads debuted this week, quietly but pointedly mocking a device dubbed the "iDon't" and promising that the Droid will do everything the iDon't doesn't.
Here's what the leak revealed:
- Almost identical in size to the iPhone: 2.4 x 4.6 x 0.5 inches; but quite a bit heavier at 6 oz. compared to 4.8 for iPhone
- A big 3.7-inch diagonal capacitive touch screen with haptic feedback, 854x480 pixel resolution; that compares to the iPhone's 3.5-inche multi-touch screen with 480x320 pixels
- Google Android 2.0, running on an unnamed 550-MHz processor (thought the smartphone site The Boy Genius Report, which claims to have handled a Droid prototype, says it's a TI OMAP3430); with a batch of email and PIM applications that sync with Google's online services; and a range of improvements and refinements over the original OS version
- Android's Webkit-based browser, speedier in Android 2.0, with support for HTML 5, which will allow the browser to store and run a range of code and user information; it will support Adobe Flash 10.1 when that code is released next year. [Learn how HTML 5 will impact mobile app development]
- Wireless connectivity via EV-DO Rev A 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, and Bluetooth, along with GPS (there's also a micro USB port)
- 5-megapixel autofocus camera, with 4x digital zoom, and dual-LED flash
1.400mAh battery, which Motorola says will deliver up to 6.5 hours of talk time and 270 hours of standby. The iPhone 3GS promises up to 5 hours on 3G and 300 hours standby
- 16Gbyte microSD card bundled, with an option for 32Gbyte card when this capacity comes to market in 2010.
- "Advanced speech recognition" features promised by Verizon
- About John Cox on Wireless
Cox is a senior editor at Network World.
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Verizon will introduce Motorola's Android "Sholes" this Friday
"Motorola's high-end android device at Verizon (~88M subs) will subsequently be joined by a mid-range Droid featuring the popular MotoBLUR. The thin black smartphone will feature an ultra fast processor that supports simultaneous apps, a 3.7" touchscreen with sliding QWERTY key pad and all the high-end features: 5Megapixel camera, GPS, Wi-Fi, etc. Verizon is making a big bet on Android and Motorola is an important element of this carrier's push. Verizon will also offer an HTC Droid device later on. As of the latest count, there are over 10,000 appls on the Android market."
Sue continued, "Motorola will report results on Thursday morning and we're looking for placeholder metrics as it's all about commentary regarding 4Q. Third quarter metrics are expected near $5.4B with break even to a penny. We expect Motorola to articulate a plan to grow overall smartphone units. Most expectations are 1.5M units in 4Q09. The market is crowded and additional sales & marketing dollars will be required by the industry to push each incremental unit. Nonetheless, new devices from Motorola appear differentiated enough and the buzz so far is positive."
Sue added, "Our 4Q09 estimates for revenue and EPS are $6.1B and $0.06 on total units of 15.5M and ASPs of $124. Motorola's revamped handset portfolio will be instrumental in narrowing the loss in the mobile devices division as it targets RIM and others."
Sue concluded, "It's a promising start by Motorola and additional timely delivery of smartphones for T-Mobile, Verizon, and subsequently AT&T will be necessary to drive subsequent earnings growth. We're encouraged to see Motorola moving ahead with differentiated and competitive products."
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Brad Reese on Cisco
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