The 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Stellar, what are you? We saw you a few weeks ago on a rebate form, and assumed you were a low to mid-range Android device. The price of $99 in this image appears to confirm that notion, but what’s this “Starter mode” all about? And why are you being sold as a device that is preloaded with Amazon Apps rather than the Google Play store?
Anyone willing to take a guess at any of this? Could this be one of the first Android devices made by a major manufacturer (in this case the Android manufacturer) to ditch the Google suite of apps and go with Amazon’s Appstore? An interesting move if true. I’ve got to admit, that the story of the Stellar has caught my interest, if nothing more than to find out how Amazon Apps are tied into the golden boy of Android phone making.
Thoughts?
$499 off-contract price? That means the specs should be as good as the Dinc 4G LTE.
Prime viewer, appstore, amazon mobile, amazon MP3 etc see where Im going? Probably still has the play store and if not you can side load. Just a guess
I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that “Starter mode” is supposed to be an instructional mode for beginners that have never used an Android phone.
It means Amazon paid Verizon a ton of money.
So in other words its a smart phone for noobs/old people.
So like an iPhone, but not.
Apple has a patent for noob phones. Sammy better watch out.
This comes off as a sort of concept that Samsung is trying. If it fails, no big deal, because Sammy can take the hit, but if people dig it, they’ll look quite smart. I don’t know that I like the idea, but I am intrigued.
Seems like you’d probably get Amazom MP3, Kindle, Appstore and the shopping apps (Amazon/Studen) preinstalled along with everything else Verizon likes to stick inside phones not named Galaxy Nexus.
maybe this is the precursor to the Kindle phones we’ve been hearing rumors about?
This was my first thought as well. The have rumors for awhile that Amazon was looking to put out their own Android phones. If that’s what this is, it would make sense that it would use the Amazon Appstore over Play, just like the Kindle Fire. Amazon does have that event coming up soon where new Kindle devices are rumored to be announced.
Also, it doesn’t say it there’s no access to the Play store. It’s possible it could have both, but with a focus on Amazon’s app offerings.
If this does not ship with Google’s suite of Apps (meaning it most likely did not pass CTS) it is DOA…apps will not be compatible, because they never ran the CTS on it, the Amazon app store blows…good luck with the Verizon. I cannot wait to get away from Verizon.
Why would you blame VZW for this? It’s Samsung that’s creating the phone, not them. Your argument is somewhat silly.
i’m pretty sure verizon has some say. they have their nose in everything.
Right, and if you don’t like this phone just don’t get it. I do not understand what the problem is.
this (ditching google for amazon) would set a very bad precedent. although i’m sure amazon’s chomping at the bit for the chance, so it probably is only a matter of time.
I’ll take a wild stab in the dark. It will have the Play Store. It will also have Amazon MP3 and Amazon Shopping. A lot of Verizon phones comes with Amazon MP3 already.
I feel like I recall reading something about it, or a similar device, and that the starter mode was a dumbed-down overlay more like a feature phone. The concept was to convert those still using feature phones over to the data world.
pantech marauder on verizon
Maybe to appeal to those who can handle (or already own) a kindle fire but wouldn’t ordinarily choose a smartphone?
Hopefully not, the Amazon Appstore does not compare to the Google Play Store. Maybe this just means that both the Amazon app Store and Google Play store will both be preloaded.
That wouldn’t be half bad. As long as it can be disabled for those that won’t use it (seriously, the memory taken up by the amazon app store is negligible.)
Maybe Amazon commissioned samsung to build the first amazon phone? There is an amazon pr event coming up
This makes me think that Samsung is ‘done’ with Android. I have a feeling that they are going to fork off Android, call it Touch Wiz whatever, and just use the Amazon App store. I think that this is a great move for the consumer because it limits confusion with the non power user. Going forward there will be iOS, Windows Phone OS, Google’s Android OS, and then TouchWiz OS, HTC Sense OS, etc.
Who knows, that actually might not be a bad thing…
It won’t be bad… it will be horrible. The more forks there are, the more compatibility issues there will be, which will make app development more cumbersome and less attractive to developers. If this happens, we all lose.
No we won’t lose, because we will also buy Nexus devices. Samsung and Amazon will lose because there is no way devs will want to write for their OSs. Since it has nothing to do with Android, it will just be another OS written based on Linux compatable with the Amazon App store. Samsung would have to make it so their OS would work with Amazons OS.
But I want my Sense (or CM/AOSP depending on my mood) and G-Play on my phone. My tablet however, keep it pure clean stock.
If you want a Sense like experience, you’re gonna have to get a nexus with pure Android and then flash a ROM that has Sense.
Well, that works too, but would it still have the full social media integration that Sense has natively? That’s pretty much all I use my phone for, besides calls/texts (but every phone does that), everything else gets pushed onto my tablet.
I would assume so.
Well, next wave I’m planning on getting one, so I’ll find out then.
Samsung would be more likely to switch to it’s own Bada OS, than forking Android.
I thought Samsung gave up on Bada OS. Plus I think it would be easier for them just to fork off Android, and then devs would only have to alter their apps according to either Samsung or Amazon standards.
I recall reading about a phone with two different launcher experiences. A fixed homescreen setup for beginners and a way to switch into a more traditional android launcher. My google skills are failing me right now, anyone know what I’m talking about?
Reminds me of the samsung fascinate with bing
Back when Microsoft thought all Verizon phones would have bing
maybee some wort of mini palm size Fire like device??
Kellex..do you talk to your phones often?