14 DAY TRIAL // Expected to be released on February 11th at Verizon, HTC Thunderbolt was set to receive Mobile Hotspot support after to its official launch. Leaked internal Verizon documents were pretty clear mentioning the lack of this capability, along with Skype's new video chatting feature, at launch.
However, a second Verizon document spotted by the guys over at Engadget mentions that HTC Thunderbolt will be Mobile Hotspot capable at launch, contrary to previous leaks. The document is recent (January 31st), so the information can be considered reliable.
“While it was previously communicated that the HTC Thunderbolt was not Mobile Hotspot capable, at launch, customers will in fact be able to turn their HTC Thunderbolt into a wireless hotspot,” Verizon leaked document unveiled.
HTC Thunderbolt is the first Verizon 4G LTE network compatible smartphone to act as a hotspot for up to 8 devices.
Unfortunately, there's no change regarding the Skype’s new video chatting feature which will not be available initially, but will be added afterwards instead.
Customers who purchase the smartphone will find a Skype mobile icon preloaded on Thunderbolt's second home screen, but this will only display a “Coming Soon” message if launched.
Apparently, an Android Market notification will show up in the notification bar to alert users they can update and use Skype mobile with video, when the new feature is available.
The Thunderbolt might also be prepared for a Best Buy promotion for Valentine's Day as the rumors suggest, but Verizon will have exclusivity for a few days before the online retailer actually starts selling the smartphone.
In addition, rumors about Verizon's network supporting simultaneous voice and data seem to be confirmed, even though the document specifies that, while the feature is available, it should not be considered a major selling point of the device.
Stay tuned for more updates on the subject.
