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HTC Thunderbolt: More ‘Evidence’ of March 10 Thunderbolt Release Date

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There’s another unofficial HTC source confirming the March 10 release date of the HTC Thunderbolt, the first 4G phone announced for Verizon’s LTE network. The guys over at Android Community are pointing to SentNation for this latest tidbit in the Thunderbolt gossip. Apparently SentNation who recently had a chat with an HTC source about the Thunderbolt.

Rumors of the HTC Thunderbolt began circulating late last year. The device was formally introduced by HTC at CES 2011 and has drawn a lot of attention since. Best Buy began taking pre-orders for the Thunderbolt on February 6, which led many to believe it would be launching soon after. A Best Buy representative ‘confirmed’ a March 4 release date. We spoke to an HTC product expert in person 10 days ago, who said the device was slated for March 4 as well, but said ‘politics’ could easily push it back another week.

Here’s the portion of the SentNation’s chat with a ‘Verizon Wireless Insider’ regarding the HTC Thunderbolt:

Me (11:41 AM): What’s up with the TB? No announcement.

Source (12:31 PM): No idea

Me (12:40 PM): Asked around?

Source (12:49 PM): Yep. No dice. No one knows

Me (12:51 PM): Damn. Will it be announced later?

Me (1:50 PM): Will it be announced later?

Source (2:12 PM): It’s happening today

Me (2:16 PM): Ok

Me (7:04 PM): What’s up? Not happening today?

Source (9:51 PM): Things are being finalized. We’re shipping to stores tomorrow which is ahead of schedule. [HTC] wanted it announced days ago. I think either tomorrow or Monday/tues we’ll go public with the news. Phone’s been ready forever

Me (10:00 PM): Sounds like hell. March 10 still?

Source (10:10 PM): 10th is right. Just got off a conference call with [Some partner] things are getting chippy around here. Someone’s more impatient than you — We heard HTC threatened to pull all its ads if we don’t announce a date before Saturday

Me (10:14 PM): Holy ****. Think it’ll be announced soon then?

Source (10:27 PM): I hope so I don’t need that ****

Me (10:29 PM): I just want a smartphone.

Source (10:37 PM): Going on another conf, brb

If the above chat can be believed, it shows the level of confusion and frustration around the Thunderbolt inside Verizon and at HTC. HTC is threatening to yank co-advertising efforts if Verizon doesn’t start selling the device soon. If the chat is to be believed, Verizon’s already started shipping boxes of Thunderbolts to Verizon Wireless retail stores.

To Verizon’s credit, the carrier has never officially announced a release date for the HTC Thunderbolt. Verizon has continually reminded Thunderbolt fans of the fact and has even asked its Twitter followers to move on to other topics.

Here’s the official announcement of the HTC Thunderbolt from Verizon’s press event at CES. As you can hear, the geeks in the room were pretty excited about the device.

You can learn more about the HTC Thunderbolt specs here.

So will we see the HTC Thunderbolt on March 10? I’m hoping so as I plan on buying one, but don’t hold your breath.

13 Comments

13 Comments

  1. GoodThings2Life

    03/06/2011 at 8:06 pm

    My mom is itching to buy one of these the moment it’s available, so here’s hoping it’s the 10th.

  2. Anna

    03/06/2011 at 8:43 pm

    You guys & so many other tech news actually wrote an article based off a bunch of rumors?

    The source you claim is actually just the twitter postings of a guy (@sentrix27) who was sure the HTC Thunderbolt was going to be released on 3/4/2011, by a chat he had with a supposed VZW insider…which time has proven the guy’s info was crap.

    That passed. Stop quoting unreliable sources!

    Alex Bussani (@sentrix27 – Twitter) has thrown out a lot of HTC Thunderbolt info (and that’s where you and all these others are taking this rumor to news from!)

    How do we really know if HTC & VZW are pissed at each other? It’s been 2 days, no announcement of release date and ads are still up and running! Even @sentrix27 is sick of being asked for more updated info & has stated he won’t comment / answer anymore on the HTC Thunderbolt. Apparently his source was crap & you’re all quoting it as if it really came from a reliable source! Please get the facts down, you’re only contributing to people being more pissed off and VZW hasn’t actually given a date of official release!

  3. anne

    03/06/2011 at 8:48 pm

    i’ve heard rumors on why the delay, and some say so that more iphones can be sold. If you ask me, if a person already has his/her mind on a certain phone, then thats what they are gonna go for. If they dont care for an iphone, like me, they will wait for their choice of phone to be available. Funny thing is that i believe the thunderbolt sales will supersede the iphone. Its terrible that we have to wait this long just for a freaking phone. They should just release it and get it over with already and go on to the next.

  4. 123

    03/06/2011 at 8:54 pm

    I’m so to the point of forgetting about the damn phone. Until Verizon can set and stick to a release date I’m not purchasing anything from them other than fullfilling my contract. As for HTC, they have allowed promotion of their much anticipated product and I am disgusted with them too. So the same goes for them- they should have not allowed release of the commercials without a specified date, or at least not allowed it to go on THIS long.

  5. Abc

    03/06/2011 at 11:20 pm

    April at the earliest, May more likely.

    • callmecrazy

      03/07/2011 at 4:47 pm

      If it’s gonna be that long you might as well wait for the bionic

  6. Brianb69692003

    03/06/2011 at 11:55 pm

    I’ve been waiting for this phone since the CES announcement. This is just not fair. Getting everyone amped up, and anxious. I swear, if this doesn’t release on the 10th, I’m going to just keep my Blackberry, and wait till summer. I was ready to buy it on feb 14th. UURRRGGGG!

  7. Kbaby2

    03/07/2011 at 12:47 am

    yeah

  8. NowayJose

    03/07/2011 at 3:00 am

    Thunderbolt article = clicks.

  9. Idonwannaiphone

    03/07/2011 at 3:48 pm

    i wonder if Apple is leaning on Verizon in order to push more of the Iphones. I don’t want an iphone.

  10. Ontbyone

    03/07/2011 at 7:16 pm

    your all dorks…place it in your hand and rub it out to get your frustration out. Holy crap seriously its a phone..right after its released you will want the next best thing…then what switch hands?

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