Saygus Vphone a new Android phone for VZW?

[freyakat]

I found this new phone on the horizon, looks interesting. Two way video calling, Android OS, slider keyboard, 806 MHZ processor, GPS, and the basics you would expect on a smartphone. A new Droid perhaps?

http://www.saygus.com/comm_vphone

[AFguy]

Wow, that is very interesting.  Thank you for sharing.  How did u hear about this phone?  I noticed it is a CDDMA EV-DO Rev. A phone so its possible it will work on the VZW network.  It looks pretty awesome.  

[Kitten_Call]

Looks good - simple and nice. Guess we will see what happens. Never heard of this company until now. Salt Lake and NY, eh? Hmmm..

Puurr

[ck125]

Looks like a nicer version of the droid

[freyakat]

New information about the Saygus, apparently it could benefit from the Verizon/Skype partnership. Faster processor, but only Android 1.6 for now. 

This could be a phone to keep an eye on!

Saygus Vphone gets updated specs, perfect Verizon + Skype phone ...

[Chubbs]

Release date of "sometime next year", and it being the only truly two way video phone Verizon has, is a problem for me. The I-Phone 4G trumps everything at this point, and is easily a year ahead Verizon's answer in the Saygus. Makes me think Verizon thought they had the I-Phone contract, found out they couldnt get it, and than rushed the Saygus in response.

[Chubbs]

Just found an update, it will be released at the end of march, im getting excited.

http://home.leakdroid.com/2010/02/fresh-leak-saygus-vphone-video-calling-android-hitting-verizon-by-...

[AZSALUKI]

lol...since it's now june can we assume this thing doesn't exist? i've gotta believe that a front facing cam will be coming this summer or fall with one of the next 2 droids. it's really the only thing that the evo and ip4 have that vzn's line of droids doesn't.

[fezzik]

Front facing camera is coming to VZW soon enough.  The Saygus has been in the works for a long time.  They were supposed to be the first Open initiative device coming to VZW.  I guess someone decided the network wasn't ready for it.  By the way it would have better video calls than iPhone and EVO.  I check on it periodically cause it intrigued me.  I wanted it over the DROID but there was no release date.  I don't know why it keeps getting pushed out.  At one point it had gone through FCC approval but never came out then the specs completely changed and that was the last I heard.  I assume they are changing it again.  The thing is Verizon has never said it would subsidize Open Initiative phones and this thing is pretty well reliant on that.  No phone will sell if it is only available at full retail.  The only way Saygus could really get in the market and make a name for itself is if it subsidized the phones itself but I get the impression they don't have that kind of capital. 

It is still in the works but it seems to show that the open initiative is more difficult to get through than had been originally thought or that if you want to get your phone out there you need to be prepared to make very little if anything at all on it and have to promote and sell it yourself.  Not impossible but the dreams of guys in their garage putting a killer phone together and making a killing are pipe dreams.