KDKA.com Consumer Web Extras
Oct 28, 2009 5:45 pm US/Eastern
Verizon Droid Looking To Give iPhone Competition
(KDKA)
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Verizon is preparing to release the Droid smartphone next week and it could give the iPhone a run for its money.
KDKA
Coke versus Pepsi, Ford versus Chevy… those are just some of the famous face-offs in the consumer marketplace.
But the nation's number one cell phone provider is now preparing to battle its rival.
Verizon is preparing to release a new smartphone next week and it could give the iPhone a run for its money.
These days, cell phones do just about anything and Verizon says its new phone could change the game.
"We're very excited about the potential it holds," says Robb Moretti, of Verizon Wireless.
The
Droid doesn't hit shelves until next Friday, but KDKA's Jim Lokay got a advanced preview of the new phone.
"A lot of stuff is preloaded," said Moretti. "YouTube preloaded, Facebook preloaded, Gmail preloaded, so it's a lot of fun.
Moretti talked about what sets the Droid apart from the iPhone.
"First and foremost, it's the network," he said. "If you've seen our ads, you know there's a map for that. We've got five times more 3G coverage than our competitor."
Last summer, crowds flocked to buy the new iPhone 3G.
Zack Tanner, one of the first in line back then, said he is impressed with the new Droid.
"The Droid, especially the on-screen keyboard, I was really impressed. It's almost identical to the iPhone because it's really easy to use," said Tanner of Slippery Rock. "You can type really fast."
"I really like the voice features, say where you wanted to go, being able to say a phone number, it would be great while I'm driving," said Jeremy Saylor, an iPhone user from Grove City.
But is the Droid enough to sway iPhone users away?
"I'm biased, I'd pick the iPhone, but there's no reason someone shouldn't pick the Droid. It's a really good phone," said Tanner. "I'd still pick the iPhone, maybe depending on the price, if it was a lot less than the iPhone, but the iPhone would still be it."
But there is high anticipation and Verizon is ready to do battle.
"There's thousands of applications; very easy for developers, very responsive, great processor, best screen you'll find - twice the resolution as that competitive phone that you might be referring to earlier," added Moretti.
The Droid will start at $299 with a $100 mail-in rebate. Also, like a Blackberry, it also requires a monthly data plan and those start at about $50.
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