AT&T has launched a new initiative called Mobile Share Value Plans that is designed to save customers money on their monthly AT&T mobile phone service bills. The following changes are specifically for the Mobile Share program, which allows devices to work under the same AT&T account and share data, talk, and text plans. Similar to T-Mobile’s “un-carrier” approach, the new AT&T plans separate the cost of the device hardware completely from the monthly service charges:
We’ve already covered the Target, Walmart and Best Buy Black Fridays earlier this month as their Black Friday ads broke cover to the world. However, there are far more Android-related deals to be had on Black Friday and here are some of the most notable across the nations largest retailers. Don’t forget to sneak a peek at what T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon and Sprint have to offer as well.
Keep it locked here for all the updates as new Android-related carrier deals are announced for Cyber Monday. More importantly, keep your homepage loaded with 9to5toys.com this holiday season for a look at all of the seasons best tech-related specials.
60 percent off a JBL PowerUp Wireless Charging Speaker for Nokia, JBL PlayUp. Portable Wireless Speaker for Nokia and JBL OnBeat Micro Portable Speaker Dock with Lightning Connector.
$20 off on select XPAL cases.
50 percent off a ZAGGkeys FLEX keyboard.
25 percent off Martian Voice Command Smartwatches.
50 percent off a Polaroid Bluetooth printer.
$249 for a BIG JAMBOX.
10 percent off all JBL and Harman speakers. (Excludes items already discounted.)
One Black Friday deal extends through Dec. 31, online only. Customers can save and score a Samsung ATIV smart PC for FREE6 with a new two-year agreement with qualifying plans. Activation and upgrade fees apply.
Nov. 22-27: Customers who bring a line to Sprint from another carrier will get up to a $100 instant discount on the purchase of any phone with a new two-year service agreement. Customers who switch their number to Sprint and choose Sprint One Up to finance their smartphone with $0 down and 0 percent financing will receive a $100 Visa Prepaid Card.
Nov. 28-Dec. 2 (Retail stores are closed Thanksgiving, but customers can start early and shop online or Telesales): Customers can visit www.sprint.com/holiday or call 1-800-SPRINT1 to purchase Samsung Galaxy S® 4 mini for FREE (after a $50 mail in rebate via reward card) – a $99.99 savings with a new line or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement. Customers who shop online or call on Thursday can also purchase LG G2 for $49.99 – a $150 savings with a new line or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement. These offers will continue through Monday, Dec. 2, in Sprint retail stores across the country, online and Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1).
When Motorola launched its first smartphone as a Google company with the Moto X back in August, the big stand out feature for the device was the ability to apply over 2000 customizations at the time of purchase. Motorola let users pick the front, back, and accent colors, match headphone and case colors, and more all though its MotoMaker.com online ordering tool. Unfortunately, until today the MotoMaker tool was exclusive to AT&T with other carriers only selling white and black models of the Moto X.
The good news is AT&T’s exclusivity window has now officially ended and starting today you can order a customized Moto X through Moto Maker from all major US carriers including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Expand Expanding Close
Yes, there is an argument to be made that not having to fork over the entire up-front cost is something that could appeal to many potential Nexus 5 buyers. However, in the long run I’d rather see customers saving the extra $100 and putting it toward apps, accessories or paying the electric bill. It’s likely Google is taking the $100 loss in the hopes of pushing customers into the Play Store where they will grab apps, books, movies, magazines and all the other things Google will make a profit on. More Nexus users means more Google Maps and search use, more money, more money…
Today T-Mobile has made things official for availability and pricing on Google’s recently launched Nexus 5. Arriving for online orders Nov. 14 and in stores on Nov. 20, T-Mobile will be offering the 16GB Nexus 5 for $41.99 down with its usual monthly payments of $17. That brings the total cost of the device on T-Mobile up to $450, around $50 more than Google charges for the 32GB model and $100 more than the 16GB model on Google Play. That’s not unusual, however. Google has long subsidized the cost of its Nexus devices sold through Google Play. Expand Expanding Close
T-Mobile today announced that it is launching a new un-carrier initiative for tablets next month (November). The plan will offer tablets to T-Mobile customers (new and existing) for no money down. Like with smartphones, the customers will be able to pay for the device over the life of a 24-month plan. T-Mobile is yet to provide pricing specifics for tablets other than the iPad, but those details will arrive soon. What is known now: customers on T-Mobile with tablets will be able to get 200MB of data per month for free. T-Mobile recently announced the Simple Choice international unlimited data free roaming plan, and T-Mobile will likely support this for tablets.
The Uncarrier is set make these changes starting next month and will give customers until February 2014 to choose new plans before imposing fees for users on grandfathered plans.
For T-Mobile’s part, the carrier offered the following statement:
Maintaining thousands of rate plans is the norm in the industry, but we think it creates unnecessary complexity. Simple is better, which is why we’re reducing the number of older plans in our systems. We’re giving customers on these plans the opportunity to choose a plan that best meets their needs. For the vast majority, their plan will provide similar or better features at a comparable price.
News of T-Mobile’s plans originally surfaced when one customer posted the letter seen below to an online forum:
Sony originally only announced availability for Europe when it first unveiled its new flagship Xperia Z1, Xperia Z Ultra, and SmartWatch 2 during IFA last month, but today the company has officially put all three devices up for sale in the US. Available through Sony’s website now, the Xperia devices are selling unlocked in black, white, and purple and start at a hefty $649, while the SmartWatch 2 is now available from Sony’s website for $199.
The Xperia Z1, which packs in a 5-inch display, 20.7MP camera, and quad core processor, will start at $649.99, but that model, however, will only offer HSPA+ support and not LTE connectivity. That same price will get you the bigger 6.4-inch Xperia Z Ultra with HSPA+, but for LTE connectivity you’ll have to hand over $679. The new Xperia devices have a lot to offer– superior camera systems, beautiful large displays, and premium hardware– but the off-contract price means Sony is certainly a little higher than we were hoping for. There’s no word yet on carrier partners, but the latest rumors hint that T-Mobile might be the first. Expand Expanding Close
T-Mobile unveiled a new offering that will provide global data coverage allowing users to access their data plan in over 100 countries at no extra charge (via Engadget). CEO John Legere has been hinting at the announcement on his Twitter account in recent days: “Today is the day! The day we change the way the world uses their phones!”
Today is the day! The day we change the way the world uses their phones! You ready? #unleash
This new plan will allow Simple Choice customers to get unlimited 2G data and texting in supported Simple Global countries. Voice calls on the plan cost $.20 per minute for in-country calls. There are no extra fees for this service, as it is included in all Simple Choice plans automatically.
The “un-carrier” also announced a few other changes to its plans, including a new international talk and text option from the US to all other Simple Global countries. That will cost an additional $10/month and include $.20/minute voice calls and unlimited texting. Adding this option to your plan will also enable unlimited calling to landlines in over 70 Simple Global countries for free.
Finally, T-Mobile announced that its 4G LTE network is available nationwide and reaches over 200 million potential customers.
When the Moto X finally made its way into the hands of consumers, many people were disappointed by the quality of photos taken with the device’s shooter. Specification-wise, the lens was no slouch, so many people were optimistic that the company would improve the sensor with a software update. Today, T-Mobile has begun rolling out an update to its Moto X variant that, according to AnandTech, greatly improves the quality of images.
Camera – Improved Photo Quality: Improved capture of natural light (auto-white balance) and color accuracy for more precise exposure in outdoor and backlit scenes
Camera – Improved Focus: Faster touch to focus time and reduced unnecessary refocusing in low light conditions and scenes with continuous motion
Camera – Faster Switching: Shortened the time it takes to switch between rear and front-facing cameras, as well as transition between the viewfinder and the Gallery app
AnandTech notes that the update dramatically improves the quality of images taken both indoors and outdoors with the Moto X. The update changes the tuning of the camera and improves exposure in outdoor and backlit scenes, improves the color accuracy, and reduces the noise in low light images.
In addition to the camera improvements, the update also adds several other enhancements to the T-Mobile Moto X and fixes a handful of bugs. Read of the rest of the change log below: Expand Expanding Close
The Moto X developer edition is available starting today through Motorola’s website in both black and white woven backs for a price tag of $650 with SIM included. There are two variants of the device available, both 32GB models: One works with GSM networks including AT&T and T-Mobile, and the other is for compatible with Verizon’s network. The device comes with an unlockable bootloader, 32GB, and “developer edition” stamped on the back, but otherwise it’s the same Moto X that’s been available through carriers and Moto Maker. You won’t, however, be able to customize the developer edition through Moto Maker, which is still exclusive to AT&T customers. Expand Expanding Close
Update: Sprint announced today that the Galaxy Note 3 will become available on October 4 for $349.99 on the usual two-year agreement. It will also have the Galaxy Gear companion smartwatch for $299.99 in Jet Black, Oatmeal Beige and Wild Orange.
AT&T has announced today in a tweet that preorders for the new Galaxy Gear smartwatch, which will act as a companion to the new Galaxy Note 3, will go up for preorder starting Wednesday, September 18. The carrier previously announced that the Galaxy Note 3 would begin shipping from its website on October 1. Through AT&T, the Note 3 sells for $299 on the usual two-year agreement. Samsung originally announced that the device would launch on partners around the world starting September 25.
T-Mobile also made things official for the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear today with a press release confirming that preorders, like AT&T, will also begin on Wednesday. On T-Mobile the device will sell for $199.99 down with 24 month payments of $21 with preorders expected to ship by October 2. Expand Expanding Close
After being unveiled back in August and shown off again during IFA in Berlin last week, LG’s new flagship LG G2 smartphone is officially launching today on most major US carriers (except for Sprint). The 5.2-inch device is now available to order from AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, while Sprint customers will have to wait until October 11 to begin preordering the device. For the most part all carriers are getting the same device– a Snapdragon 800 processor, 13 megapixel camera, 2GB of RAM, microSD slot, 3000mAh battery, and 5.2-inch full-HD display– but there are slight differences between the AT&T and T-Mobile versions and the Verizon model. Specifically, Verizon’s version will come with built-in wireless charging, which means the profile is a little thicker. It’s also changed the look and feel of the buttons located on the back of the device.
Pricing also varies depending on the carrier: AT&T and Verizon are offering the LG G2 for $199 on the usual two year agreement, while T-Mobile has the device for a $99 down payment through its monthly instalment plans. Purchasing the LG G2 off contract will run you $575 from AT&T, $600 from Verizon, and about $605 from T-Mobile.
Following launches on Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, and U.S. Cellular, the Moto X is now available for T-Mobile, as well. As announced in a blog post by Motorola, the device is now available via Motorola.com for $599.99 without a contract and 16GB of storage. Currently the device is only available in Woven Black, as the Woven White color is listed as out of stock, though Motorola says it will be available soon. Keep in mind that the customizable Moto Maker software is still only available with the AT&T variant of the device.
The mystery over whether the Nexus 5 is made by LG or Motorola appears to have been solved by FCC approval documents. The documents refer to the handset as the LG ZNFD820, but all the signs point to this being the replacement for the Nexus 4, expected to be launched in the next month or so. Google recently slashed the price of the existing handset, with the 8GB model going out of stock for good.
Engadget points out that the casing images appear to be an excellent match for the phone which Google apparently inadvertently included in the KitKat promo video that it swiftly withdrew. The specs also look likely for what we expect to be a significant upgrade to the Nexus 4 … Expand Expanding Close
As expected, LG execs are on stage today to officially unveil the company’s brand new LG G2 flagship smartphone. It also announced that the device would be coming to all four of the major US carriers, which we assume means it will soon be landing on AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint.
The company spent a lot of time talking about the design of the device, which includes a unique power/volume rocker that is placed on the back of the device directly under the rear-facing camera. LG’s design team placed the rocker on the back because the majority of people hold their phones with an index finger right on the back of the device where the new button is. The rear button, which happens to be the only hardware button on the entire phone, will also allow users to launch the quick memo app and snap photos. LG says it thinks the device’s 5.2-inch display is the largest a smartphone can be while still being comfortable to grip with one hand, while noting that touch sensor enhancements provide an ultra thin bezel at just 0.1-inch.
As far as specs go, the device will have a 5.2-inch full-HD display, 13-megapixel rear camera, 2GB of RAM, microSD slot, a 3000mAh battery, on-screen navigation keys, and Android 4.2.2 with LG’s custom skin. Qualcomm’s execs also took the stage briefly, noting that the G2 is the “world’s first worldwide-launching smartphone with the Snapdragon 800 processor.”
When it comes to software, a new feature called “Answer Me” will allow users to automatically answer calls by holding the phone up to their head (as opposed to having to press a button.) Another software feature, “Plug and Pop”, will provide quick access to apps when a user plugs in a headset, and a new “Text Link” feature lets users quickly launch calendar or maps form directly in a text message. Lastly, a brand new “Guest Mode” will let you share your device with others while keeping sensitive information from prying eyes with customized access to certain apps and features.
Just got word from our Motoleaker with the latest in X Fon news. As of now, only Sprint, Verizon and AT&T are major carriers confirmed to carry the device in the US. T-Mobile (perhaps because it already subsidized the similar-specced Nexus 4?) hasn’t yet finalized any deals with Motorola for the device.
The X phones will begin shipping to carriers in August and should be ready for back to school. The price is cheap enough for the carriers to subsidize the complete upfront cost, though it isn’t certain if they will or not. $300 is the current number being thrown around as the unsubsidized price (Again, like the Nexus 4). Expand Expanding Close
T-Mobile will begin to sell the Xperia Z on July 17th for $100 with a 24-month payment commitment of $20 per month. The carrier originally announced its plan to carry the device back in June, but without any specific pricing or release information.
Specs will be the same as the international model, which include a 5-inch 1080p display with Sony’s Mobile Bravia engine, a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor, a 13MP rear-facing camera, and a water and dust resistant design. It will also carry support for T-Mobile’s LTE network.
Xperia® Z from Sony. T-Mobile will be the exclusive U.S. wireless company to offer Sony’s flagship water-resistant Android™-powered smartphone to customers this summer.2 The Xperia Z will be available for $99.99 down, with 24 equal monthly device payments of $20 for well-qualified buyers for 0 percent APR on approved credit3 through T-Mobile retail stores and select retailers, as well as online at http://www.T-Mobile.com starting July 17. On July 16, customers can also pre-order the device online from the same website and receive a free Sony Wireless Bluetooth Speaker gift with purchase (while supplies last). Customers may also purchase the device beginning today at any of the 38 U.S. Sony Store locations, including the flagship store in New York, or online at www.Sony.com/xperiaz/tmobile and will be eligible to receive the free Sony speaker as a gift with purchase (while supplies last).
Just as several rumors suggested, T-Mobile has announced a new anytime upgrade plan at its press event today. ‘Jump’ will allow for customers to upgrade their phone more often than once every two years for an extra $10 a month every month. The plan will allow customers to trade-in their existing devices for a new one at the same or lower price. After a six month waiting period, customers will be able to upgrade their phone twice every year. The club will kick off on July 14th.
JUMP! from T-Mobile is designed to provide customers with total protection for one of their prized possessions: their smartphones. It offers the freedom to upgrade to a new device more affordably and protects against malfunction, damage, loss or theft — all for just $10 per month, per phone (plus taxes and fees). That’s just $2 more than most customers have been paying for handset protection alone.
“This is one of those things that annoys customers so much,” CEO John Legere said. Expand Expanding Close
T-Mobile has just sent out an invite to a July 10th press event in New York City. The invite doesn’t offer many details as to what we can expect, but the carrier does tease that we will see its “boldest moves yet.” It could be that announcement has something to do with its Uncarrier plans, as we’ve heard whispers of a “phase two” happening on July 14th, but it seems unlikely that an event would be held for just that. It’s also possible that the company will simply be formally announcing the Xperia Z, which we’ve heard will come on July 17th.
We’ll be sure to let you know whatever T-Mobile announces that day, no matter what it is. Expand Expanding Close
According to an image obtained by TmoNews, T-Mobile is gearing up to launch the Sony Xperia Z on July 17th. Unfortunately, the image lacks any details about pricing, and with T-Mobile’s new UnCarrier plans, it’s hard to speculate.
For those unfamiliar with the Xperia Z, it’s packing a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor, a 5-inch 1080p display with Sony’s Mobile Bravia engine, a 13MP rear-facing camera, and a design resistant to both water and dust. The device has been available unlocked for sometime now, but T-Mobile will be the first United States carrier to sell it. Expand Expanding Close
