Sprint HTC EVO Arrives

Today (June 4 2010) marks the arrival of the much-touted (and reviewed) HTC EVO 4G at Sprint stores and authorized retailers. For a full feature list, click here.

The EVO purchase price will generally be $199.99 after rebates and discounts, plus applicable taxes. The plan pricing with a 2-year contract starts at $80 per month ($69.99 plus $10) and includes the 'everything data' and unlimited mobile-to-mobile. Airtime includes 450 anytime minutes, with unlimited nights & weekend minutes after 7pm M-F.

There are varied opinions on the pricing structure and 'surcharge' for the EVO, since it is WiMax capable but 4G service has limited availability in USA markets. It will be interesting to see what the adoption rate is during the first few months of availability. There is a point at which price versus perceived value becomes an issue, and in this instance, it is not the device itself but the monthly premium for those outside of a 4G coverage area.

Those of us who have been around the tech sector for many years seem to marvel at the innovations that have occurred, while realizing that the utility of some devices remains questionable. In tough economic times, consumers are forced to make choices for items they desire against items they truly need. It may be one factor in the growth of the pre-paid cellular market, as subscribers realize that having a smartphone that does everything is overkill for some who are sitting at a desk during the workday with their full-blown PC. Business travelers may have one need (i.e.: blackberry), while most other workers can 'get by' with a regular cell phone and a text messaging plan.

Personally, I like the latest Android-based phones, having used smartphones since their introduction. The synchronization with Google products is particularly useful, and the video streaming is quite an improvement over other devices. The processors are much faster than earlier non-Android phones, and the difference is noticeable. For many folks, whether all of this is a compelling reason to jump may determine the short-term success of the EVO.