Verizon Wireless unveiled a new cell phone today for the holiday season: a LG handset named “Voyager” that Verizon hopes “will compete with Apple Inc’s iPhone,” Sinead Carew reports for Reuters.
“Verizon Wireless hopes the new phone will attract customers put off by the iPhone’s lack of a traditional keypad — the Voyager hinges open to reveal a small computer keypad and a second screen,” Carew reports.
MacDailyNews Take: The only people “put off by iPhone’s lack of a traditional keypad” are people who haven’t used an iPhone.
Carew continues, “‘We think it’ll be the best phone … this year. It will kill the iPhone,’ Verizon Wireless Chief Marketing Officer Mike Lanman said in an interview.”
Carew reports, “Current Analysis analyst Avi Greengart said the Voyager may attract existing Verizon subscribers who do not want to switch service providers, but he doubted it would hurt iPhone sales. ‘People who want a high-end media phone and want to stay with Verizon will certainly give that one a hard look. I don’t know that it would pull anybody away from an iPhone,’ he said.”
Verizon Wireless would not give exact pricing, but the “Voyager” is expected to retail for about $400 according to the report. Apple’s iPhone costs $399. Voyager will offer a 2-megapixel camera and a slot for 8GB of extra memory. “Voyager” also looks to be at least twice as thick as iPhone. Apple’s iPhone has a 2-megapixel camera and 8GB of built-in storage. Oh, yeah, unlike the “Voyager,” Apple’s thin iPhone also has a multi-touch UI, a real OS, and a real iPod with access to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store. Voyager will launch “before the end of November,” Carew reports.
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers too numerous to mention for the heads up.]
Yet another phone made to look externally somewhat like Apple’s iPhone. How stupid do they think people are? Verizon’s Chief Marketing Officer Mike Lanman is one seriously delusional bastage if he really believes that thing is “the best phone this year” and that “it will kill” Apple’s iPhone.
A real OS?!?!?!?!? You call that useless junk used on the I-Phone a “real OS”!!! Sure Steve j Arrogant said it runs on OS X, but come on!!! Its as much of an OS as any other phone. Some OS, it doesnt even have java and flash support. Its just a Prada copy anyway. As ussual, Apple is being itsown immitative self.
The Verizon phone has live TV and a QWERTY keyboard. In terms of sheer functionality, it wins out big time.
I am not an 8 year old boy who will get impressed by a sleek phone.
I need functionality – the Voyager has tv, faster internet and an actual keyboard to browse the internet.
Wow! Mac prides itself on having intelligent, discerning customers who make judgments based on real facts. I am a loyal Mac user and promoter and have never thought of switching.
But to read the comments from some of you out there is a little embarrassing. This is not a pi_ _ ing contest, but it sure sounds like one – straight from fifth grade.
iPhone is great and I would love to have one. The only reason I don’t is that I don’t want to switch carriers – plain and simple. That said, it’s difficult to compare the iPhone to Voyager when the provider is not the same. Make them both available to AT&T;and Verizon and let the chips fall where they may. Features such as screen, OS, bezel, qwerty keyboard – all that will sort itself out based on individual preferences. By the way, when did competition go out of fashion? The way I see it, it keeps everyone on their toes.
i would definately buy the voyager over the iphone!!
hello,
i am a current customer usng verizon services and i think that actually the iphone is very very stupid. Many of my friends have it, and after the initial excitement of getting a new phone,(which you get regardless of what phone it is) they have all been very frustrated. the service from AT&T;is not good, and truly there are many dropped calls. Never have I once in my many years of being a Verizon customer had a dropped call unless it is with an AT&T;user. My friends regret their very expensive purchase of the iPhone, and I very much agree. I hope that those who read this comment will see a different and better opinion to the STUPIDNESS of the idumb…i mean iPhone.
IPHONE IS RETARDED AND A LOSER-ASS IDEA NOBODY WANTS IT AND EVERYONE HATES IT I LIKE VERIZON VOYAGER MUCH MORE SO SUCK IT B!TCHES WHO ENJOY THAT IDIOTIC MACHINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All,
To call this phone a rip off, is to call every thing a rip off since the telegraph.
For this phone to have come out just a few weeks after the Iphone tells u everything. Phones like the Voyager and the Iphone take years to design, develop and test. Everybody knows that everything in this industry is moving to some kind of touchscreen. This is the ONLY way to get more display real estate on a phone with out making it larger. Having a keyboard, double as a numeric pad, double as an MP3 player, double as the display. Everything is going this way, just look around. We started with a cell phone that you carried a battery pack, then a brick, then flip, etc. As new technology becomes available, everybody starts to incorporate it.
I have not used the Voyager yet, but I did have the IPhone and Mr. Jobs left a lot of functionality out. He left out a real PDA, UMTS, AGPS, etc. He could have made coolest and most functional phone on the planet. Instead he made a neat phone, with lousy battery life and a great interface.
I do have to admit, I am looking forward to the Next Generation of BOTH of theses phones.
Georgy Porgy…calm down. i actually know Mike Lanman. we used to be neighbors in florida. he’s a great guy that just loves verizon products. “you’re saying he’s gonna eat his words?” what are you talking about? he loves his company and the products they make, and he really believes (or makes other people believe) his company is the best.
my dad is getting me the voyager for christmas. but one of my friends dropped the phone i have now, and the top completly came off! i dont know how to tell my dad but if i do, he will probly think im too irrisponsible to have the voyager. [help!!!]
i think the voyager is awsome! i mean it has live tv! and besides if u have cingular get the iphone. if u have verizon than get the voyager.
the iphone is awsome but the voyager is kick a$$ good.
actually… i AM a CURRENT at&t;customer… & i CAN afford the iphone… & i really would not want one because of the touch screen. it’s way TOO sensitive. & what happens if that screen breaks somehow… your fucked! next week im starting my new contract with verizon & getting the lg voyager… my friends both have the lg voyager & the iphone & when compared… the lg voyager KILLED the iphone. at&t;sucks & is the worst phone company EVER! i have had the pleasure of dealing with their bullshit for the past 5 years… thank god for verizon… =] . have a great day!
Well Who cares about the iPhone having a “real OS” I would take VZW firware over MAC bullshit anydays. Voyager = the shit!
oommgg!!!it’s just a phone big deal! if you like it get it if you don’t , then don’t so all of you grow up and get real there’s bigger porbems to worry about jeez
voyager rocks.
iphones are cool i guess.
just dont diss it kiddos,
i have the voyager and it rocks like he*l
iphone it’s good telephone
and LG i d’ont know
what deferent
I would most definately leave verizon for the iphone
but AT&T;has such a shitty reception and service..
At least I can go anywhere with service on my Verizon
phone.. I mean that is the point of a Phone..
kay so i have the voyager and i love it. ive gone through 6 phones the past like 2 years and my friend has the iphone and she hates it. its so hard to text on if you have alot to say and its not very sensitive. it gets super dirty too. the voyager is wat better and honestly why would you want an ipod and a phone in one. it just makes the phone slower and it is slow. i dont even put music on my phone cuz its stupid. but i watch tv and you cant do that on the iphone.
iphone sucks
some people just dont wanna switch to another phone service! i no i wouldnt just to get a phone!
XD
Well lemme say from experience, that these are both great phones. I never used the iPhone, but I have used the iPod Touch, which is amazingly fun and cool. I just got the voyager last night, and I do like the Qwerty keyboard, which the iPhone doesn’t have, and the touch keyboard messes me up…The iPhone has better internet browser, but the Voyager has a better server, 2 screens, a touch and regular, can play music, and has basically the same capabilities as the iPhone…in my opinion, the Voyager is better…no offense to Apple whatsoever though, I love their products, but as far as phones go, Verizon wins.