August 30, 2011, 8:14 AM — I'm a Verizon wireless customer, one who feels locked into the network due to having a grandfathered unlimited data plan (and I'm generally happy with the service and coverage). So when I saw that Samsung's Galaxy S II was (rumored to be) coming to the US on AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile and not Verizon, I wasn't a happy camper. I've read reviews of the European version of the phone, (Android Central has a good one) and it sounded like the Galaxy S II was the hot new phone to get.
[App builders eager for taste of Android 'Ice Cream Sandwich' and Google lashes out at patent trolls with Motorola buy]
Samsung is holding an event today that should confirm or deny these rumors, but even if the Galaxy S II doesn't come to Verizon, there's another rumor that suggests we'll be getting something better.
There's a rumored phone floating around called the Nexus Prime. The Nexus series of phones have been Google's "reference" phones, meaning they come with a fairly 'pure' Android installation on-board. The Nexus Prime is supposed to be the first Ice Cream Sandwich device. Ice Cream Sandwich is the next major version of Android; the one that is supposed to consolidate tablets and phones onto a single OS.
So here's where things get interesting for Verizon users. It may be that the Nexus Prime will be coming to Verizon as the Droid Prime. The reason? Verizon officials say the Galaxy S II can't compete with the iPhone 5 (but presumably the Nexus Prime can). This rumor first popped up as early as August 18th, TechnoBuffalo suggested the Nexus Prime, with a 720P, 4.5" screen, would be hitting Verizon. Yesterday Boy Genius Report posted a similar rumor, calling the Droid Prime the "flagship Android phone ahead of the holidays" and suggesting it could launch as early as October. BGR says the Droid/Nexus Prime will be a Verizon exclusive, which seems less likely if this is really the next phone Google will want to put in developers' hands.
I just spent 24 hours with no power or internet, and only my original Motorola Droid to keep me connected to the faint, faint Verizon signal I could pull in (I suspect Irene knocked out some cell towers along with the power). It quickly became very apparent that I need a new phone. With the potential of the Droid Prime, and a backup plan of the Droid Bionic, I think I can stay happy on Verizon for a couple more years.
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