New Feature Phones Anytime Soon?

[BranHen]

Ok, so, the feature phone lineup is getting stale.  Most would agree on this.  It's not a huge deal, but it would be nice if it was updated with compelling offerings.  (It's frustrating to see multiple compelling feature phones on other carriers networks and basically none on Verizon's)

If you think it's fine- ok- not me though, and others are with me on this, I'm sure...)

Also, if you think I should just choose another carrier, please don't clog up this thread with comments about how I have the power of choice to speak with my money.  I'm with Verizon for the foreseeable future, so there's no option to "just go somewhere else with my money..."

Now that we've got that out of the way...

Does anyone, including VZW Empoyees, know if the feature phone lineup will be getting any additions?

Does anyone have any idea when this will happen next?

Does anyone have any idea what kinds of devices will be offered (brands, phone names not needed- just what kinds of features will be the focus on any new offerings)?

I know there are multiple threads out there, but they're all basically dead...and this needs to be kept on the front burner...

So...any takers?

[derbyguy]

Heres my guess for the new phones:

Phase out higher end feature phones and replace them with ""high quality"" phones with ZERO features in order to get consumers to upgrade to smartphones to get all the high megapixel cameras and video recorders and pay the additional $30 a month for it..  I honestly would not expect anything over a 2.0 MP camera without flash, without a video recorder, and not able to use 3G service.  

In my opinion this has already started happening.  Compare current phones to previous models such as the EnV Touch, EnV3, Samsung Rogue, Chocolate Touch, etc.  Two high end feature phones that stood out to me when I upgraded were the Octane (which I got) and the Samsung Zeal.  The Zeal's now unavailable and retired.  So that leaves basically one phone which, in my mind, is compareable to the Env3 or EnV Touch (my previous phone) which is the Octane.  But that phone is so full of issues such as the echo problem it almost isn't even worth getting.

[TBhouston]

What are you needing your phone to do? There is most likely a feature phone on the market that can do that. The thing is when you want a basic phone, it doesn't change that much.

Over all in my opnion the casio ravine is pretty powerful device for what it is

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedP...

[lewisr13]

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TBhouston wrote:

What are you needing your phone to do? There is most likely a feature phone on the market that can do that. The thing is when you want a basic phone, it doesn't change that much.

Over all in my opnion the casio ravine is pretty powerful device for what it is

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedP...

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That's a pretty powerful price for a feature phone. $149.

[BranHen]

I'm looking for feature phones that are as good as what was offered a year or two ago...

Prime examples would be the Samsung Rogue, the LG Versa, etc.

There isn't a phone offered right now that can match those.

LG Cosmos Touch - Doesn't even record video.

Pantech Crux - Not a very good messaging phone.

Kin TwoM - So many workarounds needed, I'd be learning the phone for a whole year.

Is it really that hard to put all these on a feature phone?: a decent touch screen (Rogue, Versa were perfect for this kind of thing), a QWERTY keyboard (slide or flip, doesn't matter), the ability to take pictures and videos (decent mega-pixel, doesn't even have to get above 3.0), the ability to send those pics/videos as MMS messages...Oh, and don't make it look tacky like a 12 year old's phone...no offense to 12 year old's...

These are all basic features that should be easy to produce.  The fact that phones from two years ago are head and shoulders better than what's being offered now is probably a good sign that the downgrading of feature phones is being used to prod customers to fork over more cash on a monthly basis.

I'm on Craigslist every day looking for old feature phones that meet my phone needs- does Verizon really want to lose out on sales because customers (who are w/ VZW for the next 2-3 years) are forced to look elsewhere for decent feature phones?

I would assume they'd rather have my $50-$75 dollars every year and a half rather than nothing but my contract payments.  If they don't step up the offerings, that's the most they'll get from me and many other customers like me.

[lewisr13]

Does any provider have feature phones that meet those requirements?

[lewisr13]

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derbyguy wrote:

  Two high end feature phones that stood out to me when I upgraded were the Octane (which I got) and the Samsung Zeal.  The Zeal's now unavailable and retired.  

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You can get the Zeal at Bestbuy.com. $19.99

[BranHen]

A simple search at AT&T shows the following available feature phones that meet all of those basic requirements:

LG Neon II

Pantech Pursuit

  Sharp FX

Samsung Solstice II
Pantech Ease

  LG Encore

  HTC Freestyle

  LG VU

Plus Pantech Laser

Some of these only have a touchscreen QWERTY keyboard, but I can deal with that if it's an attractive looking device with reasonable quality.

There are literally 3 phones on Verizon to compete with those- and it's not even close.  The only one that has a chance to compete is the Kin TwoM, but it lacks the most basic features of all other feature phones...so by default, it can't keep up...

Some will say that one of the three VZW offerings can compare, but really, look at that list- there are NINE attractive, higher-end feature phones...Where are you Verizon?

A sizeable chunk of your customers do not wand a data plan or a smartphone!!!!

[EdW_VZW]

Thanks to all the community members for your feedback. We do offer several features phones at our website and you can also sign up for email alerts to be informed about new devices and products as they become available. I am providing links below to the feature phones and email alerts.

The link for email alerts is: http://search.vzw.com/?market=53520&q=email+alerts&p=null&ss=null&b2eFlag=N

The link for feature phones: 

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?&item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneOverviewByDevic...

Thanks,

edw@vzwsupport

[robinann]

Stale with a capital "S"!!!!!!!!

Don't think any new feature phones are coming up. I've been calling every 3-4 weeks for the last 8 mos or so. It's frustrating, especially when the competitors such as AT&T have very good options for feature, or as they call it "quick messaging" phones.

I agree. We need to keep this on the front burner!

signed

frazzled with feature