MacinJosh

This device appears to the the LG volt http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/article.php?a=13716

It is. Specs match across the board. Just hadn't had the time to update the article. Might get to it tonight. Thanks for posting. I did mark it in the LTE Device spreadsheet though.

Wouldn't "WiFi(VOIP)" hint at this device's use on Republic Wireless. And Im not sure what is so special about this functionality when apps like GrooveIP already exist

Republic could benefit with this phone because of the WiFi VOIP capability. And who wants GrooveIP when you can have an all-in-one solution from Sprint?

Being that their end game is VoLTE and it won't really matter that it's a single cell path. 

 

With Sprint starting to support WiFi calling I'd really like to see support for multipath TCP to allow handoff from WiFi to Cellular. 

I'm not familiar with multipath TCP. I'll have to research that one out.

I am familiar with the concept. Didn't know it's name until you mentioned it. Apple implemented it with the release of iOS7. I wondered why my connection didn't drop as hard when going from wifi to cellular data recently.

Dislike the low resolution and single cellular radio path.

Unfortunately the single cell radio path is the way Sprint Tri-band is going. Not much we can do to change Sprint's mind. I'm glad that this has increased battery life for Spark capable phones.

So is it speculated that Sprint will be cutting monthly rates in half?

No, in order to lower your bill, you will have to move to a Framily plan. And then either pay full price for your phone, or finance on EasyPay.

I'm curious about the WiFi (VoIP) listed there in the table. Likely it supports the WiFi calling Sprint has recently started supporting on a few devices enabled via Sprint.com?

I wondered about that myself, but not 100% sure, although it'd be nice.

Since I got my G2 for FREE, how much less will a "mid-range" device be?

Based on the fact that 2yr subsidy pricing is going away, I don't know if it'll be released before the end of 2 yr pricing. But my guess is it'll have an MSRP of between 399.99 and 499.99.

It's a bummer it doesn't support AC WiFi.  Everything should anymore, IMHO.

 

Robert

Agreed. But I think that for the first half of this year, it'll be flagships that will have AC Wifi, mid-ranges should follow by the end of the year.

this s4 is the s4mini so a smaller screen.  if you want the big screen you get single band..if you want tri-band you get the smaller screen...this is according to sprint's own site.

As AJ said, the SPH-L720T is the Tri-band version of the full-size Galaxy S4. The GS4 mini has model number SPH-L520.

An almost single-SKU North American device. Nice!

 

Not advocating for it either way but if Sprint and T-Mobile get too many of these kind of devices on their networks, merger rumours might start popping up again. It will also be interesting to see what band support the upcoming iPhone 5S will have.

 

BTW, technically one could say that the device supports 4 FDD bands since band 5 is a subset of band 26.

Technically, you could say that. But for marketing purposes, and for lack of inter-carrier roaming agreements, you can't. That's why it's listed as 7 distinct LTE bands. Some of the FCC docs do post LTE band 2, but 25 is the superset band, so you don't have to even put it in.

is there a possibilty that this is a pre release version with a different (smaller) battery than could end up being made? 

A possibility, but I'm not going to hold out for them to put a bigger battery in there. They may have figured out a similar method that Apple uses to make batteries much more efficient in a smaller footprint.

here's too the galaxy s5 having SVLTE support and maybe VOLTE support -crosses fingers- my contract and subsiquent upgrade is ready around may 2014 just in time for the S5 to be coming out  

I would not hold your breath for SVLTE. The time of transitional bases is over. VoLTE will be the only way to have data while you jabber your head off on the phone. Can you imagine how much bigger tri-band phones would have to be to support the extra equipment needed for SVLTE? I would expect twice as thick.

So far all the recently released devices have felt underwhelming to me. I am beginning to think that the manufacturers also feel there is no point in releasing higher end devices until they can release them with the newer bands since those of us who would consider buying a more expensive model will be looking for that.

I agree that many devices have been inadequate, but I feel that the GS4 was an adequate spec'd phone, and the G2 is definitely a high end phone, and I'm glad that LG is finally trying to build good phones. I hope that Samsung releases a Galaxy Tab 3 10" size with high end specs.

For the 7 inch tablets, is Samsung sticking with AMOLED?  Or has it shifted over fully to IPS/PLS?

 

AJ

WSVGA TFT is what is listed on the Samsung page under the Wi-Fi version specs. I'm not sure if thats a AMOLED or what.

I was so excited until I found out it was only single band. Samsung, why?!

 

:‘(

I personally feel that Sprint did this on purpose, and that by the end of the year, they will release a high-end tablet. But expect the cost to be higher than this tablet.

Why did they release a new model if the old one is practically the same? Lol

Like the article says:

(All specs are subject to change before official release, as the processor on the Wi-Fi only model is 1.2 GHz dual core and it only comes with 8 GB storage.)

Hopefully it'll have a few better things, like a better camera and more RAM.

No 800Mhz or 2500Mhz LTE support?

Unfortunately, no. I'm sure they were planning to make it low-mid range in the first place.

The 8gb of internal storage sounds a bit like the s4 zoom? almost the right size

Can't be. The SPH-L500 was in testing before the Galaxy S 4 was submitted to the FCC. It's one of those phones they determined that just wasn't worth the time to release. It's already being replaced by the SPH-L520, which is rumored to be the Galaxy S4 mini, so the L500 could very well have been the Galaxy S3 mini.

Everyone, it's official! The LG Optimus F7 is the LG LG870. Confirmed by both Sprint and LG to be coming to Boost Mobile on the 27th of June!

Nope. It's all still a mystery. My guess is it'll be released later this summer as a mid-range low priced phone right before the Tri-Band LTE flagships get released.

Does anyone know what cellebrite is? It kinda confirms the existence of the the Samsung SPH-L500. It was added on 2/24/13.

If it's anything like its counterparts (Spirit, Lucid 2), then it will also support VoLTE. That will be interesting...

Sprint would almost definitely block that capability because of the battery issues with VoLTE being too early in it's life cycle.

What about Band Class 18? I'm in a Shentel area. HTC ONE

How can that be? It must be an error in the HTC One, because it doesn't support CDMA Band Class 18, and no one in the US that we know of has even begun to release CDMA on said band class. Only LTE has been going on 700 MHz spectrum so far.

In other words, they have to wait for the one before the other can transmit?

I read that as well but I don't understand how that would be possible given that just about every other device shares antenna paths with BT/WiFi, yet they work together just fine. Cases in point, the Galaxy S III or Galaxy Note II.

Hmm. I don't know. I just typed in what I read. Very strange they would say that though.