Earlier announcements said that Nextbit's Robin is certain to release a Verizon model, and now the cloud-based smartphone is confirmed to support Sprint as well.
At first, Nextbit didn't expect many supporters using Sprint, so earlier Robin models only supported AT&T and T-Mobile and was followed by Verizon support. When believers in the product spoke up, the company took action.
"We listened. As of today, what used to be the Verizon version will now support Sprint too, so we're renaming it the CDMA version." says Nextbit on a statement.
What this entails is that the GSM model will work well with AT&T and T-Mobile networks, whereas the CDMA version will function nicely with Sprint and Verizon's networks.
Nextbit prioritizes a closer relationship with potential customers, going against a traditional business model. In its crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, Nextbit gained tremendous support from crowdfunders and surpassed its original goal of $500,000, reaching more than $1,200,000.
"Sprint is working with Nextbit to certify its Robin smartphone for use on the Sprint network," says a Sprint spokesperson.
Here's a look at the bands from Nextbit's Kickstarter page:
GSM Version (for AT&T and T-Mobile networks in the United States)
- GSM 850/900/1800/1900
- HSPA 850/900/1700/1800/1900/2100
- LTE Bands 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/17/20/28
CDMA Version (for Sprint and Verizon networks in the United States)
- CDMA 800/1900
- GSM 850/900/1800/1900
- HSPA 1700/1800/1900/2100
- LTE Bands 1/2/3/4/7/13/20/25/26/41
Robin is considered as an innovation in the industry, as the phone's storage grows, adapting to users' preferences and habits.
"This sleek but unassuming smartphone isn't an iPhone killer or a Galaxy killer, and it won't kill any other smartphones on the market. Instead, it's a problem killer, and it has its sights set on what is constantly listed near the top of smartphone users' chief complaints with their phones: Storage space." BGR's Zach Epstein says,
The smartphone is priced at $349, and users will be given the option to choose between GSM and CDMA models when Robin goes official. Supporters can expect to get their hands on the handset in January.
Photo: Nextbit
