• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

What Do You Think About Sprint's "BIG" Industry First Announcement?

What do you think about Sprint's industry first announcement.

  • Dual screen phone. Really? Huge let-down!

    Votes: 69 69.0%

  • Indifferent. I like the device I am on.

    Votes: 27 27.0%

  • Excited. Can;t wait to get my hands on one!

    Votes: 4 4.0%
  • Total voters
    100
UniversalRep said:
The phone is going to sell. Only the educated or at least the people wanting to get educated will not buy this phone. That leaves a lot of people who will ooh and ahh over a dual-screen phone. Instinct and Moment users (coming off their 2 year upgrade) will stray away from Samsung models and Kyocera sounds cool to them.

The phone is marketed towards the initial "wow factor" and dumb consumers will buy it and I'll sure as hell sell it to them. Now it won't sell to the cats who actually research what they want to buy.
Click to expand...

While I partially agree with all of you that say this phone will sell to people that don't know any better, what about the fact that it's just plain UGLY & bulky? I have no idea how it compares in weight but when the first words from a teenager about it are "OMG that's ugly!!" you have to take that into consideration. Many (definitely not all) teenagers don't know any better but they do know if something is ugly.
Before my Hero I was an Instinct user & while I was disappointed with the hype over nothing with the "Instink" I didn't have any other pre-conceived notion of Samsung.

I think everyone here has valid points. Yes, it will sell to some, just bec of the fact that it's the latest thing. But I think most people's biggest complaint here is that we were all hoping for something more than a DS that makes phone calls. We're frustrated with Sprint's lack of selection on phones compared to the other companies, including T Mobile.
 
UniversalRep said:
The phone is going to sell. Only the educated or at least the people wanting to get educated will not buy this phone. That leaves a lot of people who will ooh and ahh over a dual-screen phone. Instinct and Moment users (coming off their 2 year upgrade) will stray away from Samsung models and Kyocera sounds cool to them.

The phone is marketed towards the initial "wow factor" and dumb consumers will buy it and I'll sure as hell sell it to them. Now it won't sell to the cats who actually research what they want to buy.
Click to expand...

Kyocera just screams "budget buy" to me. Meh.
 
Whiskeypawz said:
While I partially agree with all of you that say this phone will sell to people that don't know any better, what about the fact that it's just plain UGLY & bulky? I have no idea how it compares in weight but when the first words from a teenager about it are "OMG that's ugly!!" you have to take that into consideration. Many (definitely not all) teenagers don't know any better but they do know if something is ugly.
Before my Hero I was an Instinct user & while I was disappointed with the hype over nothing with the "Instink" I didn't have any other pre-conceived notion of Samsung.

I think everyone here has valid points. Yes, it will sell to some, just bec of the fact that it's the latest thing. But I think most people's biggest complaint here is that we were all hoping for something more than a DS that makes phone calls. We're frustrated with Sprint's lack of selection on phones compared to the other companies, including T Mobile.
Click to expand...


Honestly it is definitely a piece of crap, but working for Sprint makes me realize that the majority of people who upgrade their phone, will go with what Sprint advertises. If Sprint comes up with a decent ad campaign for this guy, I won't even have to sell the phone, people will just walk in and ask for it.

If it wasn't for the recent changes to the $10 fee for all smartphone charge, I would see this generating a better turn-out. But the lack of 4G on the phone makes this charge just a little unbearable.

To be honest, I like what the phone has to offer as a base. I see more and more dual-screen phones in the future, just with better specs than this POS.

TL;DR
Dumb people will buy it. And I have no reason not to sell it. Cool concept, not enough firepower to make it a must-have.
 
You just weren't being specific enough. It's the first dual touch screen smartphone. Like it really matters, but you need to be specific. So in that case, it would be an industry first, but one that nobody really cares about.

If that's their logic, Verizon should've held a big press conference for the Samsung Continuum for being the first touchscreen smartphone with continuous ticker. I mean, that's huge :rolleyes: It's a shame that is actually one giant screen. Would be too funny if it was two separate screens and Sprint's claim would be completely false. Instead it's just lame.

BlackDynamite said:
Sending that to every Android and generic phone related website on the net is the very definition of hyping something. And it absolutely failed to live up to the hype. It wasn't an industry first (there have been plenty of dual screen phones) and it certainly didn't show us the impossible is possible.
Click to expand...
 
I can't imagine why anyone would buy this phone for $200. Especially if it's sitting right next to an Evo, Epic, or Shift.

If you can get those better phones for the same or even less money, why would you get that phone?

And don't tell me they are all just a bunch of idiots who will buy it because it's there and they're stupid. If Sprint is counting on that then someone should be fired.

This isn't some free phone. If it was free, or even cheap, then people would probably pick it because they don't care.

When it's the most expensive phone in Sprint's lineup, you better believe even the dumbest of consumers will start comparing it to the Evo that their friend heard about, or their other friend's iPhone.

Even the dumbest of consumers know about the Droid,MyTouch, Evo, and especially the iPhone. And they all know about 4G. If someone is going to spend $200 on a phone and agree to a 2 year smartphone contract, you better not be counting on them being a brainless moron who will blindly accept whatever you sit in front of them.
 
UniversalRep said:
Honestly it is definitely a piece of crap, but working for Sprint makes me realize that the majority of people who upgrade their phone, will go with what Sprint advertises. If Sprint comes up with a decent ad campaign for this guy, I won't even have to sell the phone, people will just walk in and ask for it.

TL;DR
Dumb people will buy it. And I have no reason not to sell it. Cool concept, not enough firepower to make it a must-have.
Click to expand...

:) Excellent point & one that's difficult to argue!
 
Kyocera's Echo!

Twice as big as an ordinary smartphone!

Game over.

I'd like to see how they want to sell this. Cause I'm lost for words.
 
Have you looked at the people who work at Sprint? (no offense to those that frequent these boards and actually know something). But the more I see and hear, the more I think the people in charge are no smarter than the CS people that spew forth clueless information from scripts they don't even understand when they read or type it. Most out of touch company I've seen in a long time. Truly hope HP brings something to the table tomorrow. I'd hop back over to webOS. I like android, but having to root to get the latest and greatest just gets annoying after a while. I like the Palm/Apple model provided the hardware is up to snuff, and it has the functionality I want.
BlackDynamite said:
And don't tell me they are all just a bunch of idiots who will buy it because it's there and they're stupid. If Sprint is counting on that then someone should be fired.
Click to expand...
 
MissJennell said:
Sprint sent out invites with a great sounding promise (industry first) and a good slogan (making the impossible possible) and then hired a celebrity to go along with the slogan. That is great marketing. It got everybody talking and bloggers blogging. Which created a ton of hype for the event. They then announced the phone, which is an industry first, and people talked even more! Everybody talking, blogging and posting about it gets this phone lots of attention. It isn't a phone for us die hard tech geeks. It is a phone for people who want 'flash and fun'. It will sell. I can see a lot of high school students and younger people wanting this phone. If they market it right when it comes out then it will be a hit for people who don't look at specs and reviews and all of that before buying. There are so many people that you could sell this phone too. And since I prefer to keep things in perspective I know that this is not the only phone that will be announced this year. VZW, Tmo and ATT are waiting for devices that have been announced. Sprint is waiting for phones that haven't been announced yet. Either way you are waiting. I am finding these threads to be highly entertaining how serious people are taking this. Like it is the end of the world that a phone they don't want was announced. Holy crap balls like that has never happened before. There are phones for everybody. That is why we have choices. Not every phone is going to be the latest and greatest and the best.
Click to expand...

Marketing 101,
overhype + underwhelm = Fail.

Maybe David blaine will come out of hiding and show us something good.
 
tqlla said:
The Envy had two screens, speakers inside/outside and a Keyboard.
Click to expand...
The Env also didn't have anywhere near as much competition. Back then, there was no Android and carriers only had a couple smartphones (which were a lot more expensive than the Env).

The Env would be an epic failure if it was the most expensive phone on any carrier. Sprint trying to recreate the Env and make it the most expensive phone in their lineup (and worse specs than their other smartphones) is a disaster waiting to happen. And hyping this up the way they did is possibly the biggest failure by any carrier, ever.


Put simply:
This phone has a feature that only geeks will care about (simulcasting on dual screens). Unfortunately, the geeks that care about that will also care about the last gen OS, last gen CPU, lack of 4G, lack of 3rd party support, and high price tag.
 
sanchez1980us said:
You guys act like this is the only phone sprints releasing.
Click to expand...
For some it really is. If you are a new customer and you need to sign a contract in the next 30 days. You will be stuck with that phone for 2 years.

So sprint can release anything they want in the next 2 years, but if you are a new customer, you are stuck with the current line up for 2 years. So it is the only phone sprint is releasing for 2 years.

Which means, to the new customer it is the only phone sprint is releasing.
 
sanchez1980us said:
You guys act like this is the only phone sprints releasing.
Click to expand...

Dude seriously? It's not even about that. It's the fact they hold his event for some POS phone that doesn't even work how we'd want it to work. I can see if it had dual-core, gingerbread, wimax, and svdo, but man... none of it.
 
that is as bad as the nutz that are buying the iphone 4 at verizon .... and so close to the release of the iphone 5.

at least.. you still have EVO or Shift or epic... better than this Echo
 
RiverOfIce said:
After a clever ploy by sprint to hold on to people from going to verizon for the iphone. Anyone that wanted to see what sprint had to offer before leaving, now cant get a iphone. Which is pretty smart for sprint.

But after doing that, the morning comes, sprint rolls over to find out what it picked up in a bar and start to rethink it long term goals.

And we get this
Sprint Plans To Redouble Push For More 4G, Android Devices - WSJ.com
Click to expand...

Sprint came up with a great plan to keep us from moving to the Verizon Iphone4.
1) Add a $10 fee to all smartphones
2) retract most peoples annual upgrade.
3) Advertise David Blaine and the "Impossible" Phone
4) David Blaine goes into hiding, and a dual screen phone was released years ago.

So Verizon... where do I sign?
 
IOWA said:
Dude seriously? It's not even about that. It's the fact they hold his event for some POS phone that doesn't even work how we'd want it to work. I can see if it had dual-core, gingerbread, wimax, and svdo, but man... none of it.
Click to expand...

Well I guess I hear what your saying I was actually hoping myself that I hear the new LG OPTIMUS 3D or even a sprint IPHONE.
 
When's this phone supposed to be released? Wouldn't be surprised if the follow-up to this industry first is a cancellation.

As to Sprint pushing for more 4G, this shouldn't have been today's announcement. This should be the headline/theme to everything Sprint does.

Sprint won't get/keep customers with new phones. They could if they just blanketed the US with Wimax sooner rather than later though.

BTW, I always said including Blaine in the pre-announcement was a clear signal that something completely underwhelming was about to take place.

Maybe Blaine made the actual interesting part of the announcement forever disappear????
 
I'll throw my 2 cents in for what it's worth.
When I first heard about the announcement, I was thinking iPhone. Not for myself, ever since I rooted my EVO I'm happy as can be. The thing is my girlfriend has her early upgrade (the one that Sprint is gonna take from her) due in April. As well as her birthday so I thought perfect, that'll work out great. When I found out who was invited (all the android guys) I didn't tell her cuz I didn't wanna ruin her excitement. That "Echo" has got to be the biggest joke for a dedicated announcement I've ever seen. I'm not gonna judge what people should like and don't like, but come on now. Sprint is not doing us any favors charging the extra $10 per smartphone and everything else. I'm quite mad and I'm weighing my options on Verizon (Those damn ETF's would KILL me though)
The point is, I wasn't looking to buy whatever this turned out to be, however my girlfriend was. Sprint needs to re-evaluate what they're doing. I personally don't like the iPhone but the beauty is my girlfriend can get an iPhone, I can get another super android device and be extremely happy doing it.
BTW (If anyone knows a way out of the ETF's or if Verizon is truly worth it, please let me know)
 
VSpike915 said:
I'll throw my 2 cents in for what it's worth.
When I first heard about the announcement, I was thinking iPhone. Not for myself, ever since I rooted my EVO I'm happy as can be. The thing is my girlfriend has her early upgrade (the one that Sprint is gonna take from her) due in April. As well as her birthday so I thought perfect, that'll work out great. When I found out who was invited (all the android guys) I didn't tell her cuz I didn't wanna ruin her excitement. That "Echo" has got to be the biggest joke for a dedicated announcement I've ever seen. I'm not gonna judge what people should like and don't like, but come on now. Sprint is not doing us any favors charging the extra $10 per smartphone and everything else. I'm quite mad and I'm weighing my options on Verizon (Those damn ETF's would KILL me though)
The point is, I wasn't looking to buy whatever this turned out to be, however my girlfriend was. Sprint needs to re-evaluate what they're doing. I personally don't like the iPhone but the beauty is my girlfriend can get an iPhone, I can get another super android device and be extremely happy doing it.
BTW (If anyone knows a way out of the ETF's or if Verizon is truly worth it, please let me know)
Click to expand...

First off I think it was here: http://androidforums.com/sprint/273876-upgrade-after-4-1-a.html that someone confirmed that if you are eligible for an upgrade before April 1st they will not take it away, it's only for people who are eligible after April 1st that will loose it. I would like to get out ETF free but haven't tried yet. It's worth a shot. Just say it's because of the $10 fee, the rise of the Federal surcharge and the upcoming rise in the 411 fee as of March 1st. I'm going to use everything I can to try to get out and switch to pre-paid and save $60+ a month. I would LOVE an iPhone but can't justify the price increase to Verizon for it. ;)
 
To quote Invader Zim: "Stupid, Stupid humans!"

Sprint hyped this announcement and turned it into a real dog-and-pony show. They raised our expectations to dizzying heights and then......... nothing. They announce a single fringe device (at best), made by a third-rate (at best) manufacturer, with a gimmicky design. Letdown complete.

Sprint really needs to learn how to manage customer expectations. I'm happy now with my Evo and my BlackBerry Bold, but that doesn't mean I don't want to see exciting new devices. Sadly this Echo ain't it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom