14 DAY TRIAL // Chinese handset manufacturer is struggling to enter the U.S. smartphone market with tempting devices, but it looks like the local carriers are still reluctant.
Huawei Sonic was spotted at FCC one month ago and everyone was expected to see the handset launched very soon.
Although the phone was initially carrying NFC and AWS support, for unknown reasons Huawei decided to drop both.
Expected to be launched by T-Mobile, the Sonic has just reappeared at FCC, but this time with quadband GSM support, and UMTS 850 / 1900 / 2100.
The phone's codename has been replaced as well; instead of T-Mobile Sonic the handset was filed as Huawei U8652.
In addition, it appears that Huawei made a few cosmetic adjustments to the phone's design, which now features a more rectangular shape.
All these changes point to a possible AT&T release in the near (or distant) future.
The smartphone is already available for purchase in Turkey as Huawei T20. Android fans can get it for just €150 via Turkcell.
When it comes to specs, the Huawei U8652 is a mid-budget device that features a 3.5-inch HVGA capacitive multi-touch screen and a 3.2-megapixel camera that lacks a LED flash.
It embeds 256MB of RAM, 512MB of ROM, as well as microSD card slot for memory expansion (up to 32GB).
Other highlights of the phone include: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, GPS with A-GPS support, as well as access to Android Market.
The handset is powered by Google's Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system, and is delivered with a modified UI that includes several 3D animations noticeable when switching between home screen panes.
If the Huawei U8652 will ever see the light of day, it will probably go by a nice looking affordable Android smartpone.
Even though it hasn't been confirmed yet, the phone might be picked by other North American carriers as well.
