T-Mobile to refresh Samsung Vibrant for 4G network
Just a few short months after the release of the T-Mobile Vibrant, the carrier looks ready to release a more capable follow-up device.
T-Mobile and Samsung appear to be prepping the release of a follow-up to last fall's Vibrant. Dubbed the Vibrant 4G, the Galaxy S device should feature a handful of improvements on its predecessor, most notably support for 21Mbps on T-Mobile's HSPA+ 4G network.
Other new details include a front-facing camera, Android 2.2 (Froyo), and the inclusion of Qik (video chat) and doubleTwist Air Sync (music, media). And this time around, T-Mobile will preload the movie "Inception" rather than "Avatar." It's also worth pointing out that the carrier appears to be getting into branded media distribution based on the mention of "Mobile HD TV Powered by T-Mobile."
Though a HSPA+ handset is good news, not all users of the original Vibrant are greeting it with anticpation. In fact, a T-Mobile employee suggested to AndroidSpin today that Samsung is deliberately holding back a promised Froyo update to make way for the Vibrant 4G. I can't help but remember T-Mobile's Samsung Behold II and the software debacle that came with it.
Obviously, the Galaxy S phones are more capable than those early Android phones, and Samsung continues to promise Froyo for the some point. But having said that, this new handset will still likely anger a sizable amount of those Vibrant users. Considering how much T-Mobile is touting its nationwide 4G coverage, these folks will want to take advantage of its speeds.