UPCOMING SPRINT MOBILE PHONES FOR 2012

Sprint's decision to stick with WiMAX has failed as LTE has pulled ahead in the 4G competition. However, the carrier has already foreseen the outcome and has made contingent plans for the switch to LTE. Sprint has already introduced its first 4G LTE device and more are expected to be unveiled later this year. The network is also expected to continue offering Android phones to continue the trend started by the HTC EVO 4G. Let's look at the upcoming Sprint cell phones that are rumored or announced to arrive this year.

Sprint Samsung Galaxy S IIII

The Sprint variant of the Galaxy S III is set to arrive on June 21 and will be available in the 16GB and 32GB variants for $199 and $249 with a two-year contract. Consumers can choose between two color options – Pebble Blue and Marble White. The handset will come preloaded with Google Wallet enabling owners to use the phone like a personal wallet using Near Field Communication (NFC). 

Samsung Galaxy Note

This powerful Android smartphone became associated with Sprint due to a rumor from the folks at Sprintfeed. However, it is not yet known if the phone will be included in the 4G LTE line-up or feature WiMAX connectivity. The Galaxy Note features a 5.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus 1280 x 800 HD display, TouchWiz UI, a dual-core 1.4GHz processor, 16/32GB internal memory, LTE 4G support and an 8-megapixel main camera.

LG LS831 Windows Phone

This handset was exposed by the FCC. This phone supports the 800 MHz and 1900MHz CDMA bands which indicate that it will be a device for the Sprint network. The details on this phone is limited but we do know that it will offer a large touch display, a 5 MP rear camera, a secondary front-facing camera, a 3.5 mm headset jack, a microUSB port, and Bluetooth support.

Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE

This smartphone is rumored to be an LTE update to the Photon 4G. The information on this phone is limited to its name and a general estimate of its features. This upcoming Sprint mobile phone is expected to provide at least a dual-core, if not a quad-core, processor. The Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE for Sprint may also sport a similar overall design to its predecessor with an improved 720p HD display.

LG G LS970

This phone was exposed by a leaked screen shot. Little is known about the LG G LS970 beyond the information included in the image. The limited info does provide an exciting peek into this device which will allegedly feature a quad-core 1.5 GHz processor, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, 4G LTE and a 4.7-inch HD touchscreen. This premium Sprint phone is expected to be released in the fourth quarter.

LG LS860 Android Smartphone

This upcoming handset presents a QWERTY slider option for Sprint subscribers. The leaked LG LS860 information indicates that the phone will ship with Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich. The specs sheet is also interesting as the revealed details indicate that it will offer a 4-inch WVGA IPS screen, a 1.2 GHz dual-core S3 processor, and 4G LTE support. Of course, it will also come with a handy 5-row keyboard.