HTC Arrive hits End Of Life at Sprint in time for Apollo hardware?

Going, going, going... ah hello, Apollo!
Sprint is slowing phasing out the much loved HTC Arrive, according to Windows Phone Central forum member iknowsingh
. Travelling down to the Sprint corporate store on 42nd street in New York, iknowsingh notes that the Arrive was nowhere to be seen. Confirmation came in that it was also not present at three local Sprint authorised retailers with no Arrives in stock.
A representative was able to explain that the HTC Arrive was listed as EOL after the last price change and software update. The device is still listed in the system and on the carrier website, where it can be picked up for just $49.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate.
The Windows Phone has constantly been praised by owners, who are among the most dedicated and patriotic of the community. It also boasts immaculate reviews on the official Sprint website, blowing other smartphones out the water. There's no denying - it's a solid device.


The news of the HTC Arrive reaching it's EOL sounds plausible with Windows Phone 8 just around the corner. Sprint is said to have cold feet with supporting the platform in its next line-up, but to make the Arrive slowly die off seems like the carrier is preparing to catch an Apollo device or two. Then again, it also makes sense to dump the Windows Phone with less adopters coming on-board due to the announcement of Windows Phone 7.8. Unfortunately, this will mean it's unlikely current owners will receive Tango, but there are other means to an end (manual updating and custom ROMs), right?
What do you guys make of Sprint's possible move to kill off the Arrive in time for Apollo? Be sure to join in the discussion over on our forums.

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Posted in: Apollo,Arrive,hardware,Sprint

Sprint still has cold feet with Windows Phone 8

With AT&T, T-Mobile and even Verizon reportedly on board with Windows Phone 8, Sprint is the last holdout for a major US carrier in supporting Windows Phone 8. While some of our readers erroneously entertain notions that the carrier will embrace Microsoft’s next iteration of their OS, we’ve been very cautious in agreeing.
In a recent interview on All-Things D, Sprint VP David Owens is once again pouring some cold water on customer’s hopes for a big Windows Phone 8 push this fall. The carrier has 90% of their late 2012-2013 lineup already in place but what role Microsoft will play in that in unclear.
Speaking to Ina Fried, Owens notes that they are interested in Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 but they may not be the leader this fall...

“The market impact of both Windows 8 and the next iPhone are also key factors that are a bit hard to predict, Owens said.
As for Windows 8, Sprint said it wants to be actively involved, but may not lead the charge. It sees some clear opportunities but is also mindful that its last Windows Phone, the HTC Arrive, was one of the more returned products in the company’s recent history. Owens said that many buyers of that phone were coming from Android and found Windows Phone’s unique operating system hard to get used to.”

If that sounds like Sprint is distancing themselves from Microsoft we would have to agree.
We do understand that carriers need to strategically think of their next move and having caution over a new OS is certainly warranted. But we think Sprint is going to miss the boat again this fall, leaving customers high and dry (or maybe underwhelmed with a single device release).
Here at Windows Phone Central
we don’t endorse any carrier—it’s a personal choice mostly dependent on your wallet and just as importantly, your actual signal coverage. Still, although we’ve been a customer of Sprint since 2000 and are on the cost-effective SERO plan, we’re getting ready to abandon them soon and we suggest some of you start considering doing the same as the fall approaches.
Update: Another quote from Owens via Phonescoop sheds more light on the issue. Here, Owens does not commit to Windows Phone 8 exactly but notes that they will be participating:

 "We think Windows Phone 8 is a solid product that they are bringing to market. We're interested in watching it unfold over the course of the next year. And we won't be watching from the sidelines. We'll be participating. We may not lead it, but we'll participate."

To our ears that sounds like they'll dip their toe into the Windows Phone 8 pool but with only one or two devices.
Source: All Things D

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Posted in: Phone,Sprint,still,Windows

Sprint flips the switch on LTE in Kansas City, your Galaxy S III just got a whole lot better

By Edgar Alvarez posted Jul 13th 2012 11:28AM


A few weeks back, Sprint had said its fresh Long Term Evolution waves would be hitting a total of five markets by July 15th, but it looks like one lucky city is seeing the changes kick in a wee bit earlier than expected. According to S4GRU, the site's been hit with endless tips from folks like yourself, all claiming The Now Network's LTE signal is now live in Kansas City, while others are also noticing the speed boosts in places like St. Joseph, Manhattan and Missouri. How about you, though? Is your shiny new LTE-capable slab (read: Galaxy S III or EVO 4G LTE) now getting the "true 4G" treatment? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.

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Posted in: better,flips,Galaxy,Kansas,Sprint,switch,whole