Verizon to offer early upgrades, AT&T follows

Long time Verizon customers are being given the opportunity to upgrade to a new, subsidized handset far earlier than they normally would be allowed to do so, according to Droid Life. In some cases, Big Red customers who would have had to wait until May 2012 to be offered the 2-year contract price, are being allowed to use their upgrade now. According to the report, the carrier is sending out emails to specific customers, offering them the chance to upgrade early.

Verizon has some high-end Android phones on the horizon, in addition to the Apple iPhone 5 expected to hit the market in October. Next week, the carrier's new flagship device-the Motorola DROID BIONIC-is expected to launch and other upcoming models possibly include the HTC Vigor and the Samsung DROID Prime. As we reported, the latter is expected to be the first Android model to run Android 4.0, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich, which Verizon will allegedly get to sell as an exclusive for an undisclosed period.

AT&T has countered Verizon's move with an early upgrade offer of its own. The carrier is moving up eligibility dates for some customers that will allow them to upgrade to a new handset at the subsidized price, although some account holders are saying that they have received only a partial discount on a new phone. AT&T has historically allowed early upgrades to allow customers to buy the upcoming Apple iPhone model, and with Verizon and possibly Sprint getting in on the launch of the Apple iPhone 5, it would behoove AT&T to give its customers an incentive to stick with the mobile operator instead of moving to one of the other two carriers offering the device.

source: electronista, DroidLife