The new FreedomPop Liberty. It’s a tablet! No, it’s a phablet! No, it’s…. both?
FreedomPop will be celebrating it’s two-year anniversary this month with the release of a slew of new devices available this month and the next. Among those devices are two self-branded phablets (or maybe one is a tablet…we’re not really sure), a new upcoming Android LTE phone, and the release of the popular Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Note 3 for a fraction of the normal retail. Most of the devices are aimed at the low cost market and are expected to retail for less than $100. This market seems to be one that companies frequently overlook, and FreedomPop is clearly pushing forward to correct that. “While Apple and Samsung battle at the high end of the phablet market with the iPhone 6 Plus and Note 4 costing more than $600, FreedomPop is ensuring that anyone can get the same super-sized experience at a super-affordable price,” said Steven Sesar, FreedomPop’s COO. “We are focused on bringing low cost devices to accompany free mobile service to ensure no one is left behind.” All of FreedomPop’s devices will come with their free text and voice service, with add-on data options.Self-branded Device News
The two devices that are self-branded are really what caught my attention. For such a young company, it’s a pretty bold move to put out your own line and shows that FreedomPop is doing more than just ‘fine’ as far as sales go. I certainly hope to see them succeed as their business model is pretty unusual. Anyway, here is an overview of the new self-branded options: FreedomPop Liberty – This seven inch phablet/tablet device is available now for $89. This device is a wifi-only phablet, meaning that it does not offer cellular connectivity. However, FreedomPop has a hotspot that users can use for cellular roaming with this device. The hotspot gives 500 MB free data every month for a one-time fee of $49. The hardware specs of the Liberty are pretty standard and sure to offer a good user experience. The most confusing part, though, is… is it a tablet or a phablet? At 7 inches, one might argue that it’s really more of a tablet than a phablet, but FreedomPop seems to be referring to it as both in different places. Anyway, who cares? It’s cheap, efficient and can probably make Wifi calls so it could work as either, I suppose. FreedomPop Frenzy – Like it’s currently-available cousin, the FreedomPop Frenzy has basically the exact same specs with one addition–LTE connectivity. This phablet is probably actually a phablet and will be able to use 4G networks. The device will be available in the coming months and is expected to retail for around $100.Other Device News
FreedomPop also announced that they will carry a new Android LTE phone for under $100, but didn’t really provide any details about make, model or specs. Last, but not least in FreedomPop device news, the company confirmed that they will carry the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and 3 for almost half of the current retail price. That should happen sometime in next few months as well.Acquisition Talks Still Going
You might remember that FreedomPop announced several months ago that it was undergoing talks with a major US carrier and a non-Tier 1 carrier over a possible merger or even an acquisition–it wasn’t really clear which, exactly. I hadn’t heard any news in quite a while, but FreedomPop confirmed to FierceWireless that they are still considering the proposals. However, they are still declining to release which companies they are in talks with and didn’t give any update or hints as to a decision yet. They did promise earlier this year that a decision would be released before the end of the year, so I’ll definitely keep my ears open.]]>
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