What Makes a Droid a Droid? Verizon
Saturday, September 10th, 2011What’s the difference between a Droid and an Android phone? Is the former just an abbreviation for the latter?
Not exactly. Though all Droid phones are Android, not all Androids are Droids.
Confused? You’re probably not the only one. As Verizon Wireless adds more of its exclusive, branded Droid phones to its smartphone lineup, there are bound to be some questions from buyers who don’t follow the latest wireless industry news.
Droid Mania
The first Droid device, from Motorola, debuted in November 2009, widely seen as an answer to Apple’s iPhone with a large touchscreen interface and fast processor. Then came HTC’s Droid Incredible in April 2010, Motorola’s Droid X in July 2010, and the Droid Pro in November.
The original Droid now has two refreshes, and the Droid X has one. HTC’s latest Incredible is no longer a Droid, now called the Incredible S.
The newest Droids on the block are Samsung’s Droid Charge, released last May, and this week’s Motorola Droid Bionic, both for Verizon’s high-speed, long-term evolution network. That makes a total of nine devices from three manufacturers bearing the name Droid, for which Verizon pays a license fee to Lucasfilm Ltd., for using a trademarked term for robot characters from the six “Star Wars” films.
All the devices run Google’s Android operating system.
“The Droid brand is owned by Verizon Wireless and is reserved for premium devices that offer customers a superior experience, ” said Verizon Wireless spokeswoman Brenda Raney.
So what makes a phone superior enough to be called a Droid?
“While we don’t disclose the standards, all of the Droid-branded devices offer customers an experience unique to Verizon Wireless,” Raney said.
Verizon offers several other Android phones that are not called Droid, including the flagship of the carrier’s LTE fleet, HTC’s Thunderbolt.
Comparing the new Bionic to the Thunderbolt may give some…
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