How successful might an iPhone 5 be on Verizon’s LTE, or 4G, network? Although the new handset with support for the faster technology isn’t expected until late this year, we can get a glimpse via Verizon’s recently-introduced Android-based Thunderbolt from HTC. Nearly a third of Verizon stores report the Thunderbolt is outselling the iPhone.
While 61 percent of the 150 Verizon stores polled by BTIG analyst Walter Piecyk said both the iPhone and the two-week-old Thunderbolt are selling equally well, 28 percent of the locations report more customers are asking for the Android-based smartphone. Just 11 percent said the iPhone is preferred.
Earlier this week, Wall Street Journal tech columnist Walt Mossberg described the Thunderbolt as a “speed demon” capable of 12.6 megabit-per-second downloads and 4.7mbps uploads.
Although Piecyk described the handset’s early popularity as partially due to the hype surrounding its speed, he said Verizon sales staff told him they believe the HTC phone will be able to keep pace with the iPhone.
