Benchmarks suggest high-end Pantech P8010 for AT&T
Pantech is testing an unannounced Android phone on AT&T's network. Running on Ice Cream Sandwich, it could offer a dual-core processor and an affordable price tag.
New benchmark figures hitting the Internet this week suggest that AT&T is set to offer a high-end Android smartphone from Pantech.
Bearing the model number of P8010, the handset should pack a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor and a 960x540-pixel resolution display.
The Nenamark benchmarks tell us that the smartphone was tested on AT&T's network and that it was running Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich. The Android blog Androinica, which first uncovered the data, surmises that the P8010 would likely make for an affordable 4G LTE option for consumers.
Pricing details are unknown, but if Pantech follows the same trail that it blazed with the Burst and Pocket, AT&T subscribers won't have to open their wallet very wide.
I find it interesting that while HTC and other players are releasing fewer Android devices, others players are ramping up their efforts. For example, the last few months have shown us that ZTE, Huawei, and Pantech aren't shy about opening a wider door into the U.S. market. If they price and market their new devices properly, either company could emerge as a dark horse.