A follow-up to the news on June 24. The staff changes in the United States and Germany, and uncertain future for the use of the SE T608 and T606 on U.S. carriers. –Emory
Launch of T608 & T606 put into question:
According to a press release posted on Sony Ericsson’s web site, Sony Ericsson intends to withdraw from the U.S. CDMA market, halting development and firing 100 people. This calls into question the launch of the new SonyEricsson T608 previewed on this site. A review of the phone is available at 3GWiz.com, however Sprint PCS now says they are re-evaluating their decision to sell the T608 at all, unless some form of a commitment can be reached from Sony Ericsson to support the phone.
Here is the reponse from John D. of Sprint PCS Media Relations when asked about the status of the phone:
“Thanks for writing. Sprint has not yet made a final decision about carrying the Sony Ericsson T608 in light of yesterday’s announcement. At this point, the device is on hold while we further evaluate our options. Further details will be issued once a decision has been made.”
Further releases by Sprint PCS have indicated that they will announce their decision within a few days.
The T608, if released, will be the first CDMA phone to be sold in the United States with integrated Bluetooth functionality. Sony Ericsson’s site now lists the T608 as a released product with the note “Possible limited market availability.”
