Smartphone launch schedule April 2012
April madness. April promises to be an amazing month for smartphones in the Philippines. Tomorrow, HTC in cooperation with Smart Communications will be launching the HTC One series in the Philippines at Smart Communications Jump Center in SM Megamall, which will be the cream of HTC's Android line-up for 2012.
This month is also big for Nokia and Microsoft. Globe Telecom has the Nokia Lumia 800 on pre-order and has it scheduled for delivery to buyers on April 16, 2012. Smart Communications which has the Nokia Lumia 710 on pre-order will be delivering the units to buyers at the Republiq at Newport City on April 19, 2012. At the same even Smart Communications is expected to announce pricing and availability of the top of the line Nokia Lumia 900 and the entry level Lumia 610 at the same event.
On August 21, 2012, LG is joining the party too, in a small way with the Android powered LG Optimus L3 E400, which looks like a Samsung Galaxy Y competitor a year too late. Unless this phone has a price below Php5,000 I do not see the appeal in this offering.
What next? Sony Mobile Communications, seemingly wanting to tell buyers there may be a reason to wait before forking out for a new phone has already announced the pricing of its Xperia P, Sola and U phones, although they wont be available till late in May 2012.
Update: The new Xperia's are coming earlier than expected, with the launch date set at April 18, 2012.
After this we do expect to see the Samsung announce its new Galaxy S III before the end of May, but local availability could be as late as July. Apple's new sixth generation iPhone may be announced as early as June, but given the late released on the iPhone 4S we might not see the next iPhone till October.