Report: Verizon's third Android phone to have MiFi capability

Verizon's third Android phone will be certified through its Open Development Initiative and will have the ability to act as a MiFi wireless router, according to an Unstrung report. Verizon announced earlier this week that it will launch two phones based on Google's Android platform by the end of this year, but didn't provide specifics.

The report, which did not cite any sources, said that the device should be available early next year. The device will be made by a small, unnamed handset maker. Earlier this year, Verizon began selling a device from Novatel Wireless called the MiFi that allows mobile users to connect multiple devices to a 3G connection via WiFi; the new Android device will reportedly use the same technology.

Verizon's Open Development program is aimed at certifying products for Verizon's network that the carrier does not intend to sell in its company stores, and is meant to make it easier for vendors to get devices onto Verizon's network in a timely fashion. The devices have to meet a minimum, basic set of technical standards, including over-the-air activation capabilities and the ability to meet E911 emergency standards.

A Verizon spokeswoman declined to comment on the report.

For more:
- see this Unstrung article [1]

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