T-Mobile’s latest Uncarrier promises: all promo plans permanent, prices never hike, & they pay all fees to switch

T-Mobile was in New York today to announce some exciting new changes for those who choose to use their service. The eye-opener most of you will care for: the un-contract. It’s what John Legere called his company’s commitment to never raise the price of the rate plan you happen to be on (though you shouldn’t rule out the possibility for them to lower it).

But even that isn’t the most exciting thing about this “contract.” The company also promised to make all promotional plans permanent, meaning if you happened to switch to T-Mobile for an unbelievable deal that wouldn’t last forever, that is now reversed.  It does last forever (or as long as you want it to, anyway).

This means that awesome 4 lines for 0 plan that gave each line 2.5GB of data won’t be downgraded to 1GB of data after a couple of years — you’ll always have 2.5GB per line, and it’ll always be 0 as long as you don’t switch plans.

Another big piece of news: T-Mobile is taking Sprint’s cue by not only promising to pay your way out of a contract should you decide to leave, but also to pay for any device payment plans you may still have to take care of as a result. They’ll pay up to 0 per line for up to 10 lines, which should be more than enough wiggle room for you to migrate to Magenta’s network without having to pay your old carriers a dime.

Legere also touched on unlimited data, and while he didn’t have some earth shattering announcement to make in that regard, he did promise that they wouldn’t change their stance, prices or availability of it for at least the next two years. It’s not all that comforting to know that T-Mobile isn’t committed to unlimited data forever, but at least they’re committed long enough to keep sweat off our foreheads. Let us know if any of this will convince you to switch on over (or if this makes you happy that you’re with T-Mobile if you already have).

T-Mobile is adding extra data to their affordable Walmart Family Mobile plans

For those looking for wireless service on the cheap, T-Mobile has long offered one of the best values in mobile with unlimited voice/texting plans exclusive to Walmart starting at just . T-Mobile announced today that they’ll be giving these postpaid plans a 500MB bump in data, bringing that plan up to 1GB of high-speed 4G LTE data, and 3GB for the plan.

The bump goes into effect tomorrow, April 18th and, as usual, is contract free and doesn’t require auto-pay or anything like that to gain a discount. However, T-Mobile will give customers a discount for every line they add, so there’s that. You can find Walmart’s Family Mobile plans (powered by T-Mobile) linked below.

[Walmart Family Mobile]

Apple plans to steal more Android customers by accepting their trade-ins

One annoyance for many folks looking to leave the Android camp is that they can’t trade their device in if they plan to do their business at the Apple store — Apple only ever cared to buy back their own phones and tablets. A new rumor suggests that could be changing, though.

According to 9to5Mac, Apple is looking to introduce a trade-in system for folks who might own Android and Windows Phone devices. The process will be just like your typical trade-in at any retail store or carrier: you take your phone in, they give you a trade value based on its condition, and you decide whether you want to keep your device or fork it over for store credit.

You’re probably vomiting at the thought of letting Apple judge the value of a device that wasn’t conceived within their Cupertino halls. Believe me, I’m with you. But the company partners with BrightStar to monitor the trade-in values for their own products, and there’s no reason that partnership wouldn’t extend here (in fact, we’d say it’s almost necessary for Apple to team up with existing trade-in valuation companies to execute this ambitious undertaking).

Apple’s already had themselves an unfathomable quarter, and giving Android users an easier way to transition certainly won’t hurt. Would you or anyone you know be more willing leave Android and give the “dark side” a shot through the sheer ease of being able to swap your hardware at one destination?

Best Buy might have Galaxy S6 pre-sale this Friday, plans to throw in wireless charging pad [RUMOR]

Put this one firmly at the top of the rumor category in bold letters: Best Buy might have Samsung Galaxy S6 demo units in-store as early as this Friday. That much was revealed by a Samsung rep at a Best Buy shop according to this Redditor.

Another user claiming to be familiar with Samsung (his posting history somewhat solidifies that) suggested the user was, in fact, correct, and a horde of other users jumped in to corroborate the information.

What’s more is that they revealed a couple of details about Best Buy’s pre-sales process:

• Pre-sales commence March 27th, the day the demo units are expected to arrive in stores.


• Pre-sales will only be held for AT&T, Sprint and Verizon, as usual.


• Launch is expected to be April 10th for all 3 of those carriers as Samsung has previously announced.


• Pre-orderers will get some sort of “free device” with their purchase, though which exact device remains to be seen. The supposed Samsung employee suggested it would be a wireless charging pad worth .


• Mostly all stores with a Samsung Experience booth will have the regular Samsung Galaxy S6, but not every store will have the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. Be sure to call and check once the day arrives.


• Some Samsung Experience agents might already be walking around with a Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge as part of their training. If you ask around you might find one nice enough to give you a quick showing!

That was about the extent of the information available. Note that rumors are always to be taken with a heavy grain of salt, especially when the source is an unchecked (but usually honest) community.

So first movement on getting your Samsung Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge secured could happen as soon as this Friday. There’s only one question left — have you decided to buy one yet? Let us know!

[via Reddit]

Cover your Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge from accidental damage with Samsung’s Protection Plus Mobile Elite plans

The Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge may come outfitted with Gorilla Glass 4 on the front and back, but that doesn’t mean the devices are indestructible. In fact, we’ve seen enough “drop tests” around YouTube to know that just one drop could potentially shatter the front or back if landed just right.

It’s definitely not “Uh Oh protection,” but if you’re willing to shell out a few extra dollars, you can protect your shiny new investment from accidental damages with Samsung’s Protection Plus Mobile Elite plans. The plan costs for the regular S6, and 0 for the S6 Edge. It covers all accidental damage for 2 years (up to 3 claims) and for every time you bring them a broken S6, you’ll still have to pay a deductible: for the regular S6, and for the S6 Edge. It doesn’t match Sony’s 2-year accidental damage plan with deductible, but it’s still better than paying an extra 0 should your phone wind up in the bottom of a pool somewhere.

Most of you worried about this kind of thing probably already have insurance through your carrier, but for those that bought the phone unlocked or off-contract, it’s a nice option. Keep in mind for your S6 to be eligible for Protection Plus Mobile Elite, you only have 30 days from the date of purchase to pick up the insurance. Also, the S6 has to be purchased from an “authorized” Samsung retailer or wireless carrier. For more details, check out Samsung’s page here.

Samsung Protection Plus Mobile Elite: Samsung Galaxy S6 | Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

Motorola president says company has no plans to make tablets

It’s no secret Motorola’s first tablet — the late Motorola XOOM — wasn’t the most successful venture ever. It came to market with an outrageously high price tag, lack of LTE (it was later offered for those who didn’t mind shipping their device back in) and a whole gang of bugs. But it was important in that it was the first tablet to champion Android for the big screen. They then followed up with the DROID Xyboard family that was exclusive to Verizon.

We’ve always wondered whether the company would look to introduce another one in more modern times, especially with Verizon having dropped hints of a new Motorola tablet in the past, but it looks like those plans were taken out back and lit on fire. Rick Osterloh, Motorola Mobility’s president, confirmed on Twitter that the company has no plans to create Android tablets (and opted to name drop his parent company Lenovo as a fine source for Android tablets).

A rumor back in 2013 suggested Motorola was going to take what they’ve learned from the successful launch of Moto Maker and the Moto X to provide a tablet with similar qualities (that is, one that is simple, clean and can be made-to-order depending on your style). A lot can change in two years in the tech space, though, and it seems those exciting plans were lost throughout all the hubbub of being bought by Google, then subsequently sold to Lenovo.

That said, it’s worth remembering that “no plans” doesn’t mean plans can’t change. We’re still holding out hope for Motorola to make a comeback in the tablet space, but if you’re somehow still waiting for a new slate from the company after four long years then it’s safe to say you should look to move on. We hear that Nexus 9 is pretty darn good.

Google’s Sundar Pichai confirms plans to launch an MVNO wireless carrier and their motive behind it

Before we had our bit of morning fun over at the Android booth, Google’s Sundar Pichai — who heads the Chrome and Android teams — took to the stage at the Mobile World Congress opening keynote. The full talk was quite interesting and chock full of discussion about the now and the future.

Most of what you care about is in the future. Thankfully Pichai confirmed a few different rumors we’d been hearing since 2014 and earlier. The biggest confirmation was that Google certainly is exploring opportunities to introduce a new wireless service that leverages WiFi technology to facilitate ultra affordable mobile service.

Google’s not trying to become the next Verizon, nor do they expect to. Instead, the company will look to work with those carriers in an effort to help push connectivity and network stability forward.

Solving issues like seamless hand-offs between WiFi and cellular and the ability to have two calls automatically reconnect in the event of a drop are just a couple of the things Google wants to explore in their venture. We know it’s not purely about money — Google’s revenue stream is healthy enough as is — so we know their motives are fueled by their never-ending desire to innovate.

Google didn’t confirm who they’d be working with to get this off the ground (rumors suggest Sprint and T-Mobile are likely candidates), but the company will hopefully have more formal details to share at Google I/O later this year.

HTC plans to steal some of Samsung’s thunder, commits to April 10th US release date for HTC One M9

The HTC One M9 has already been launched in Taiwan, but the company has been a bit hushy about release dates for other regions. Thankfully the questions are over for those of us in the United States: the HTC One M9 will be available starting April 10th (which coincidentally happens to be the day Samsung is launching the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge).

That news was revealed during a Q&A session with HTC’s Jason McKenzie this morning as he took questions regarding the company’s groundbreaking new “Uh-Oh Protection” plan.

Details are scarce, but McKenzie was clear in saying that availability would only “start” April 10th. Whether that be at retail or through one or more carriers at the same time is yet to be determined, but it’s important to know that they’re not promising every carrier and store will have it on that day.

What he did promise is that the phone will eventually make its way to all major carriers in the United States, which we identify to be Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and US Cellular.

Other interesting notes from the Q&A:

• Uh-Oh Protection is available no matter which carrier or retailer you buy your device from


• Phones with root or custom ROMs are eligible to be replaced under Uh-Oh Protection


• Uh-Oh Protection does not cover lost or stolen devices


• The 0 credit to buy the next HTC One you get for going 12 months without an accident is not dependent on trading your HTC One M9 in — you can keep your old phone and still use your credit for a new one (or trade the phone in and stack the credit on top of that)


• Uh-Oh Protection will be available for buyers of the HTC One M8, but only if you buy your HTC One M8 after the HTC One M9 has launched.

Let us know if you’ll be planning to pick one up once they finally hit store shelves.

AT&T Trek HD tablet announced, and GoPhone plans get Rollover Data

AT&T today announced their very first own-branded Android tablet. It’s called the AT&T Trek HD, a 4G LTE tablet with an 8-inch HD display. It’s positioned as an affordable option for those who require a tablet but don’t have the funds for something on the high-end. Here’s a quick highlight of some of the other specs you’ll care about:

• Camera: 5 megapixel auto focus rear facing camera and 2 megapixel front facing camera


• Operating System: Android 5.0 Lollipop


• Processor: 1.6 GHz Quad-core Qualcomm^® Snapdragon^™ 400


• Battery: 4060 mAh Lithium Ion battery for up to 8 hours³ of power


• Storage: 16 GB (microSD up to 32 GB sold separately)


• Weight: 12 ounces

The tablet is just on-contract, or per month for 20 months if you grab it through AT&T’s tablet installment program. That figures to be about 0 if you were to buy this thing with no commitments.

Not a bad deal, though for 0 we’d just as soon use something like the NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet with your AT&T phone’s hotspot feature. The tablet will be available tomorrow online, and will head to store shelves starting May 15th.

To add to that news, AT&T has announced that folks on their and GoPhone plans will now get Rollover Data at no extra cost. Rollover Data works as Rollover Minutes did years ago — the data you don’t use is available for you to use next month. It’s not quite as good as T-Mobile’s Data Stash as the rollover data expires after 1 month, but at no added cost it’s better than nothing.

[via AT&T 1, 2]

Sprint’s new All-In plans give you a standard $80 monthly rate no matter which smartphone you buy

Sprint today had a couple of new plans to announce. The first is All-In, which is the company’s new pricing structure that makes it easy to understand and buy new smartphones and service. Sprint’s fuel against competing carriers is that those fancy “ all you can eat” plans are often advertised without mentioning the other monthly charges tacked on, such as Verizon’s infamous access fee, or the cost of paying for your smartphone.

The idea is that you get one easy-to-understand monthly rate for the cost of service + buying your smartphone, no matter which smartphone you buy. The starting rate is for unlimited talk, text and data + per month for covering the cost of your device off-contract, which amounts to a smooth per month.

That’s the idea. The reality is as follows (as noted in the fine print that they never want you to read):

• You can only choose between the 32GB Samsung Galaxy S6, HTC One M9, LG G4 or iPhone 6, with no further options hinted to be on the horizon.


• There is a one-time activation fee, but there are no other upfront costs.


• The per month smartphone payment is considered a “lease.”


• If you can’t go the full 24 months, you have to give the phone back and pay the remainder of the lease period.


• Sprint notes you have the option to “purchase” the phone at the end of the 24 month leasing period or at time of termination, but we’re not yet sure if any previous payments made through leasing will go toward that. We’ll reach out to confirm.


• Note that you also have the option of simply continuing to pay the per month lease beyond 24 months.


• Sprint says the “offer” for the plan ends August 6th, so this pricing may not even be a permanent option.

That’s just what we know from the fine print, but it doesn’t sound all that amazing on paper (sure does make for a sweet way to advertise, though). We’ll be looking to clarify every nook and cranny of this new plan and we’ll be sure to update you on anything we hear.

Regardless, Sprint is excited about it — so much so, in fact, that they’ve teamed up with David Beckham to advertise it. Nothing like having one of the most famous men in sports talking up your new plans.

Also on tap is a new plan in conjunction with Best Buy. It’s the Best Buy One Family Plan, which gives you and another soul unlimited everything for a cool 0 per month. That doesn’t include any possible smartphone payments, and adding more people will add an additional per month per line. Not amazing, but not bad.

Both the All-In and Best Buy One Family plans (only available when upgrading or buying new service at Best Buy Mobile) are available starting today. Be sure to consider your options carefully before jumping in!