HTC Merge Coming to Verizon, But Indirectly

Reports that the HTC Merge was on the way to Verizon began surfacing last fall, but this model is still MIA. That's going to change soon, but this Android smartphone with a sliding keyboard won't be sold directly by this carrier.

A Verizon spokesperson told Phone Scoop that "The HTC Merge was approved for use on the Verizon Wireless Network and is being sold by third party distributors, but not in Verizon Wireless stores." She did not explain the reasons behind this decision.

She also didn't  mention which phone retailers will be offering this device. At this point, it is not yet available anywhere.

HTC Merge Preview
The Merge will include 3.8-inch WVGA (800 x 480) Touchscreen as well as a sliding landscape-oriented keyboard. It's this latter feature that has caught some peoples' eyes, as Verizon has a dearth of Android models with large keyboards.  

On this inside, this smartphone will run Android OS 2.2 (Froyo) on an 800 MHz processor with HTC Sense overlaying the standard user interface. It will also include 4 GB of internal storage and a microSD memory card slot.

Other features will include a 5 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi b/g, Bluetooth, and GPS. This Verizon product will be a worldphone, capable of using this carrier's CDMA network in the U.S. as well as the GSM networks in Europe, Asia, and beyond.

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