Sprint ID destined for the Galaxy Tab, Epic 4G

Earlier this week, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse announced that the Samsung Galaxy Tab and Samsung Epic 4G will receive Sprint ID.

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Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).

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Jessica Dolcourt

Oct. 29, 2010 11:53 a.m. PT

2 min read

So far Sprint ID (review) has been available on only a trio of Android phones, but CEO Dan Hesse announced at a Sprint developer conference early this week that Sprint ID is spreading to two more high profile devices, the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Samsung Epic 4G.

In addition, Notre Dame University is a launch partner for the Galaxy Tab with Sprint ID, and will give the Samsung-made, Android-running tablet to students so they can access the university's Sprint ID Pack, according to Sprint's Hesse.

Sprint ID isn't ready to go on the duo of Samsung devices, and Hesse stressed that Sprint and Samsung are working together to make the Epic 4G smartphone and Galaxy Tab tablet Sprint ID-ready. CEO Hesse didn't specify if existing owners of the Galaxy Tab and Epic 4G will also have access to Sprint ID, or if the feature will only come preloaded on new units.

Either way, the spread of Sprint ID to two new devices, along with Hesse's announcement of more Sprint ID partners, is proof that Sprint's betting big on Sprint ID as a bid to differentiate the carrier's Android offerings from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile's Android handsets.

CEO Hesse said it himself in his keynote, "Sprint ID is very important to us."

Of course, Sprint frames the importance of Sprint ID to the customer in terms of discovering essential applications from among the Android Market's 100,000 apps. Sprint's other message is that using an ID Pack--a bundle of apps, shortcuts, wallpaper, and so on, organized around a particular brand or theme--will help smartphone owners streamline the setup process for a new phone by easily loading multiple apps in one package.

We have our reservations about Sprint ID's implementation so far, so it will be interesting to see if the feature catches on once it's available to more smartphone owners.

Watch Sprint CEO Dan Hesse's keynote at the Sprint Open Developers Conference.

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