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Sprint to Use Android to Draw New Customers

By on December 12, 2008

After comments made by Sprint CEO Dan Hesee regarding Android’s readiness, Sprint’s vice president of products and devices Kevin Packingham has confirmed that Sprint will offer a device based on the increasingly popular operating system sometime next year.

The executive made it a point to stress that the carrier believes in the vision put forth by Android and the OHA, while emphasizing that it can launch Android when the timing is right. Packingham also stated that the company is actively monitoring the performance of the T-Mobile G1 in order to work with hardware manufacturers and software developers on a Sprint version.

This would also make Sprint the largest carrier in the US to support the nascent operating system based on subscriber counts, and would also give prospective customers an alternative to T-Mobile due to availability issues or coverage needs.

The device would also serve as a more direct competitor to the iPhone 3G, with the Instinct serving as its current salvo against the Apple device, with the new device being on par with the iPhone compared to the Instinct. Packerman also iterated that the investment in this device would drive customer growth, with Sprint shareholders echoing the same sentiments.

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Humberto Saabedra is the Editor-in-Chief of AnimeNews.biz, PhoneNews.com and an occasional columnist for Ani.me. He can also be found musing on things at @AnimeNewsdotbiz

4 responses to “Sprint to Use Android to Draw New Customers”

  1. Don Louie
    Don Louie December 13, 2008 at 10:47 pm |

    If you build it, they will come. I was one of the few that didn’t put much weight in Hesse’s earlier comment because when Sprint aligned themselves with Google they said a device wouldn’t be out til ’09

  2. Pierre
    Pierre December 15, 2008 at 4:34 am |

    *Open mouth insert foot*

    LMAO

    I love Sprint and have had their service for years now but this is too funny. He disses the product then adds it to his lineup. CLASSIC arrogant CEO move.

    Hesse seems like a very smart man and so far the moves he’s made are very good (Clearwire/Xohm) but he let his arrogance get him on that one.

  3. Don Louie
    Don Louie December 16, 2008 at 7:55 am |

    What was so bad about him openly admiting the platform needed to grow, you still won’t see it til next year. The same mistake was made with the Instinct so they want to make sure 12 update in 6 isn’t necessary

  4. Don Louie
    Don Louie December 21, 2008 at 1:10 pm |

    This will be here by June ’09 or sooner in the form of either the Instinct or Omnia.