Verizon Readies Incredible for Closeup
NEW YORK, (
) --
Verizon
(VZ) - Get Report
scratched
Google's
(GOOG) - Get Report
Nexus One
superphone, to put its marketing muscle behind the
.
With the initial takeoff of the
coming Thursday, Verizon is clearing the runway of some distractions. While both the
Incredible
and the Nexus One are Google Android-powered phones made by HTC, Verizon has made a choice to put its Droid Incredible on the centerstage.
HTC Incredible Is Just That
Google had been expected to start selling a Verizon version of the
this month, but a click on the Verizon Nexus One pre-order tag takes you to the
.
Google's Nexus One |
The unsubtle switcheroo underscores the
by leaping into the phone market with its own phone and direct sales approach.
Verizon's move to forego the Nexus One comes as Verizon elevates the Incredible to its flagship Droid smartphone, displacing the popular Motorola Droid.
HTC Incredible |
Meanwhile,
Research In Motion
(RIMM)
has introduced a new version of its
BlackBerry Bold
phone that is designed to work on all the major 3G networks in the U.S. and Europe. The refresh of a stale Bold model was not quite the
investors were hoping for. RIM shares fell 2% to $69 in morning trading Monday.
More on Smartphones |