Motorola kills the Etna DROID BIONIC, with the Targa to replace it?
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UPDATE 4-15-2011: We recieved new information from our sources that Verizon has asked all their "testers" to return their Motorola Etna DROID BIONIC testing units, as the device will not be released.
We've recieved word from the depths of Motorola that the highly anticipated Etna, commonly know as the DROID BIONIC, which was slated to be Motorola's first 4G LTE smartphone for Verizon, has been canceled due to a variety of reasons.
First off, we got a nice hands-on look at the DROID BIONIC earlier this year at CES, as the phone would be the first for Verizon to come with a NVidia Tegra2 dual-core 1GHz processor, 4.3" qHD display, and 4G LTE data capabilities.
Then a few weeks later we got word that both the Atrix and DROID BIONIC were having power management bugs, which would cause them to overheat and effect the RF performance. When the Atrix was released, our sources said the power management bugs were resolved on the Atrix, but was still having difficulty on the DROID BIONIC.
Since then, we've continued to hear that things were not going well for the DROID BIONIC (Etna), as it continually failed internal testing at Motorola. Not only with the power management, but that there are some major issues with trying to get the NVidia Tegra 2 processor to work right with the baseband chips that control the hand-off between the CDMA, EVDO, and LTE radios.
Because of the variety of issues with the DROID BIONIC (Etna), as well as weak sales of the XOOM, we got word from our trusted tipsters that the "administration" at Motorola has decided to pull the plug on the DROID BIONIC (Etna) all together, and they are not happy about it either, since it was shown at the CES and was expected to come out in Q2.
Because of the cancellation of the Etna, Motorola is placing more effort in releasing the DROID X 2 (Daytona) next, followed by the DROID 3 (Solana), even though they will not support 4G LTE.
It did not make sense for Motorola to keep delaying the release of the Etna due to the issues, and have it come out after the Targa. Because of this, Motorola is ramping-up its plans for the Targa, which will be the 4G device that takes the place of the Etna. Since it is up to Verizon to "name" the device, there is a chance the Targa might still be called "DROID BIONIC" when it is released, or could end up with a different "DROID" label.
The Motorola Targa will most likely be a Q3 summer device, which is placing it a few months behind what the expected release was for the Etna, but from the people that we've talked to, the Targa a much better device and will be worth the wait. It will feature a dual-core processor, 4.3" qHD display, a 13MP camera on the rear, and a 1.3MP camera on the front.
We will keep you updated when we learn more information, and we'll be waiting to see if Motorola officially announces that the Etna will not be the DROID BIONIC, and what their plans are for the Targa.
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The Motorola Targa (shown here) will replace the Etna |
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93 Comments
2. Thump3rDX17 posted on 14 Apr 2011, 16:14 2 2
that's sad, i liked the Bionic but at least there's finally some sense being made with what Verizon is doing for Q2-Q3, i'm sure this will mean that the Targa will be "leaked" more in the next few weeks to keep Moto's 4G hype up.
3. Tottenham posted on 14 Apr 2011, 16:25 2 2
Quite a disappointment, as I have been holding out for the Bionic to upgrade. One more reason for me to give consideration to jump ship to Sprint, as the Evo 3D is looking like the baddest of the bad ass phones coming out in the near future. I do have to give Moto some credit for not launching another phone with major power management issues, and then trying to fix them after the fact.
4. PAJARA (unregistered) posted on 14 Apr 2011, 16:30 1 1
Wow, I was waiting for this phone, if this is a fact for sure then I am one dissapointed customer. the Targa specs sound really good but I really wanted the bionic. Right now I have the HTC thunderbolt and will just have to use it until the Targa comes out.
50. gabe (unregistered) posted on 15 Apr 2011, 11:47 1 7
You get the feeling that some people have no life other than their cell phone- Who would spend another $600 to upgrade from the Thunderbolt to the Bionic within 3 month time? The whole smart phone craze is just that Crazy!
Spending big $$$ every year or less (sic) to upgrade , paying $30 for a data plan limited or soon to be to 2 gig and getting a phone that has tons of bugs....and absolute within 2 month!?
This is true both for the I phone zombies and Android zombies- all a while the Telcos and the phone Manuf. rake it in.
54. iHateCrapple posted on 16 Apr 2011, 08:23 1 1
At least the iZombies get to save up for a year!
And thats capitalism for you...go to China if you don't like it.
85. Xan-Diesel posted on 19 Apr 2011, 11:46 0 0
It's possible he works in the field, maybe as a technician. I work as an Equipment Technician for a rural carrier and I am always carrying around a device for a small period of time and then swapping it with something different (nature of the job). It's one of the best perks of the job!
56. queen (unregistered) posted on 16 Apr 2011, 09:23 0 0
Dude, you're seriously sick in the head if you're going to jump from the Thunderbolt to the "Targa". Why did you even get the Thunderbolt in the first place? I would love to be the manufacturers who are literally raping you of money right now.
63. tedkord posted on 16 Apr 2011, 18:58 0 0
I'm going with the T-bolt simply because I don't want to re-up for another 2 year deal, and the 1 year deals are gone effective tomorrow. I waited as long as I could hoping for more 4G choices to drop, but Verizon is slowly removing all choice we have.
5. remixfa posted on 14 Apr 2011, 16:32 5 0
wow.. the bionic would have been a good device. But for all of you that were waitin for it and now bitching... did you not read the end of the article? The Targa will basically be the same thing but with a 13mpx camera instead of the 5mpx on the bionic. Am i the only one that caught that? DAYUM SON!! lol. That phone is gonna give everyone camera envy.
10. Tottenham posted on 14 Apr 2011, 16:46 1 0
Yes, I think most caught that (at least I did). But I've had my phone for close to 3 years, and the Bionic was suppposed to release in this quarter. Q3 could be anywhere from the begining of July (not likely) till the end of Sept. I'm just not willing to wait that much longer.
20. remixfa posted on 14 Apr 2011, 19:15 0 0
it will be worth the wait. In Q3 the GalaxyS2 will launch as well as the Tegra3's might make an appearance by the end of it. They were supposed to anyways. Nvidia said Tegra4 should be out by xmas, so that doesnt give a large window for tegra3's if thats going to be right.
45. roldefol posted on 15 Apr 2011, 09:48 1 0
I highly doubt they'll go through processor generations that quickly. Also, processor release date just means the date they ship to device manufacturers. The Tegra 2 "shipped" a year ago, but we're just now seeing devices come to market. Tegra 3 devices likely won't arrive until Q4 or early 2012.
57. remixfa posted on 16 Apr 2011, 10:19 0 0
while thats true about the differences between "shipping" and "in a phone to buy", you can easily find where nvidia said it will be shipping T3 and T4 by the end of this year with a search. The T2 was just to kind of work the kinks out from what they said. The T4 is supposed to be a massive boost in power. Thats the one they nicknamed superman or whatever.
6. Allday28 posted on 14 Apr 2011, 16:33 4 1
Wow phonearena get youre crap together! This story has benn updated on all the other sites that this info is wrong and the Device is just being delayed not axed!
8. Allday28 posted on 14 Apr 2011, 16:39 5 1
UPDATE: The folks at Droid-Life have also heard that the Bionic may be getting the axe. Another insider by the name of blackmanx is reporting that all of this cancellation news is nonsense and that the Bionic is, in fact, "well on track for the expected release date."
9. wooooooow (unregistered) posted on 14 Apr 2011, 16:44 3 2
Well dip me in SH!T and bury me in bread krums!!!
FML!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i've been waiting since November 2009 for something worth buying! and im damn sure not gonna wait an extra 3 mnths for the supposed "Targa" to come out only for them to cancel it. F*** YOU MOTO, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU for FAILING US!!!! Thunderbolt, here I come!!!
23. Julio Rodriguez II (unregistered) posted on 14 Apr 2011, 19:43 0 3
Blowing your money is going to make you feel even worse after the newness wears off. TB is already outdated and won't be getting Sense 3.0 so you better think hard before blowing your upgrade on it.
55. iHateCrapple posted on 16 Apr 2011, 08:25 1 0
Thunderbolt is already outdated? Things aren;t moving that quickly dude.
11. fmlagain (unregistered) posted on 14 Apr 2011, 17:02 1 0
Im with woooooow on this one. thunderbolt here i come as well. I need to replace my droid one that I had gotten on the release date of it lol. I really wanted the bionic.
