For the past couple of weeks I have been writing about a dual-core Tegra 2 phone that Motorola and Verizon are secretly working on, but I have had a hard time convincing people without some hard evidence like pictures.
The phone is real (I’ve nicknamed it the Droid T2 or Terminator), but Motorola has issued some of the most hard-core NDAs the industry has ever seen and no one wants to let me near the thing. I’ve heard it is awesome and features a display smaller than 4.3 inches, but that’s about it for actual details.Tonight I attended Motorola’s press event where they announced seven new mainstream phones for the holiday season. I was hoping they would provide a hint of the Tegra 2 phone, but the presentation ended with no new clues.
I’m still a rookie when it comes to blogging, but I’ve learned that you always got to go to the CEO when you really want to know what is coming next. Everyone else is scared to talk for fear they might lose their job, but the CEO can say whatever he wants.
Sanjay gives me the look as I snapped a pic before he snuck away.
After the presentation was over, Motorola Co-CEO Sanjay Jha came and sat on the front row next to me so I knew this was my best chance to get some new details. I patiently waited my turn as several analysts took turns asking him questions, then I finally brought up Motorola’s relationship with NVIDIA.
Sanjay told me he was good friends with NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang and he was excited about what they were doing, but then warned me that new partners who try to enter the mobile space always have some lessons to learn.When I asked about the timing of the NVIDIA-powered device, Sanjay said there was a small possibility that Motorola might release one more phone before Christmas, but the Tegra 2 phone could possibly slip to early next year.
So at least we know the Tegra 2 phone is real and it could arrive before Christmas, but I’m still lacking on the pictures and full specs. With enough luck I might be able to do some digging while I’m in San Francisco this week and provide the real proof you are looking for.
I wanted to capture this exchange on video, but I didn’t think Sanjay would talk with a camera in his face. Luckily there were a few other people in the room who can validate my story (like analyst Avi Greengart) if you still don’t believe me.
Until I actually see a working prototype I’m going to assume this Tegra 2 phone will ship in Q1 2011, but I would love to be wrong. Do you think NVIDIA, Motorola, and Verizon can pull off a Christmas miracle and release the Droid T2 this year?
