Hasta La Gadget!

Turns out the LG Motion 4G wasn’t all that MetroPCS had up its sleeve for reveal today, as the prepaid carrier separately let its new fall lineup slip, and wouldn’t you know it, among those devices is the Samsung Galaxy S III. Joining the superphone will be a smaller Sammy smartphone, and like the LG Connect 4G, it’ll support VoLTE — curious that the carrier isn’t touting the feature for the Galaxy S III, don’t you think? ZTE will also be making another go at MetroPCS, as an Android handset with a 4.3-inch screen is now in the cards, but other relevant specs remain sorely absent. Rounding out the lineup will be an import from Coolpad, which is said to wield a 4-inch screen and will retail for $149. According to Phone Scoop, we may see this one make an official debut later this week. Naturally, none of these slabs carry the same clout as the Galaxy S III, and if you’d like to get a bit more familiar with the soon-to-be premiere smartphone at MetroPCS, be sure to check out PC Magazine below, which managed to score a hands-on with the latest version of Samsung’s finest.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

MetroPCS reveals Samsung Galaxy S III as part of fall lineup originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 16:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aren’t you glad you waited to buy an LTE version of the Galaxy S III? Samsung has confirmed that the versions with faster cellular data will support Voice over LTE on appropriately equipped networks, giving them that IP-based boost to call quality. The rollout will start with the Korean LTE model receiving support in August — we suspect SK Telecom is an early partner here — followed by a deployment in foreign LTE markets, which would mostly limit the upgrades to American and Canadian owners. About our only qualm is with Samsung’s assertion that the update makes the Galaxy S III the “world’s first Voice over LTE smartphone:” we’re pretty sure the fine folks at LG and MetroPCS have a thing or two to say about keeping up with current events.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Samsung Galaxy S III LTE to support VoLTE calls, starting with Korea in August originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 22:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MetroPCS might not be one of the major four mobile carriers here in the US, but that does not mean their small size makes them relatively unimportant to the overall scheme of things where smartphones and mobile services are concerned. In fact, MetroPCS is proud to announce that they are offering the first Voice over LTE service in the world, calling it VoLTE for short. This particular “achievement” would mean MetroPCS has beat South Korea’s SK Telecom to the claim by a day, which is pretty close to the chase.

Do take note that majority of the US carriers do not have plans penciled in to adopt VoLTE as part of their operations on a wide scale basis, at least not until next year, but I guess MetroPCS’ management wants to gain the early mover advantage in order to prop up their earnings call in February. According to MetroPCS, another historical first involved the maiden first VoLTE-compatible handset being sold at one of its Dallas/Fort Worth stores in Texas. Do you foresee yourself  picking up a VoLTE compatible smartphone down the road? [Press Release]

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: MetroPCS working with HTC for VoLTE handset, Samsung Galaxy S Lightray 4G hits MetroPCS,

The little blue marble we call Earth is no stranger to HD Voice — it’s been around commercially since Orange debuted the service over its 3G network in Moldova nearly three years ago — but the technology still hasn’t been officially deployed over an LTE network. That is, until SK Telecom launches the service later today. Doing so will allow the South Korean carrier to snag the crown for world’s first before Sprint, which recently announced that its network won’t have it until later this year. It’s a win-win scenario for the company: HD Voice over LTE is meant to vastly improve call quality and reduce latency for the customers, while lessening network strain and offering new revenue-making opportunities for SK Telecom. What about devices? It hasn’t announced any brand new smartphones that can take advantage of the service, but the company’s ready to pre-load the Samsung Galaxy S III with software that enables HD Voice capability, and is planning to push an update to current owners of the flagship device. If you’re the type of person that still makes the occasional call, this kind of progress should come as pleasant news.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

SK Telecom deploys HD Voice over LTE, claims title of world’s first originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 10:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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