Nokia planning US invasion in early 2012: LTE, CDMA phones expected, Verizon might be in the mix

Nokia unveiled two Windows Phone handsets today – the Nokia Lumia 800 and 710, but none of them got a specific release date for the elusive for the Finns US market. This doesn't mean, though, that the company isn't planning to widen its presence on US soil. Stephen Elop explicitly stated that there are phones planned for the huge North American market and LTE network support is in the plans. Not only that, Nokia will also release CDMA devices for carriers like Sprint and Verizon.

Sadly, that's not anytime soon and CEO Stephen Elop himself confirmed that Nokia will miss this Holiday season stateside and only arrive early 2012.

Now, this all you might have already heard if you've followed the live webcast and our liveblog, but what you might have not known is the fact that Verizon representatives were at Nokia World as well. To be more precise, Thisismynext spotted a Verizon staffer around the Nokia Lumia 800 booth. Combine LTE, CDMA and Verizon, and you arrive at a pretty tempting combination. Moreover, this confirms that Nokia has been hard at work at fixing its spotty relationship with US carriers. Will it manage to deliver an up-to-date portfolio in the dynamic American market? Chime in with your opinions in the comments below.

Latest MAP information from Verizon shows November 10th launch for the Google Nexus Prime

One of the best sources of reliable information for Verizon devices lately has been Big Red's MAP Pricing. For those unaware, the MAP-or Minimum Advertised Price-is the lowest price that a reseller is allowed to put on an ad for a specific product. This is done to prevent a new device from looking as though it had quickly lost value, which might take the buzz away from a new phone or tablet. Recent information on the MAP for the Motorola DROID BIONIC allowed many to correctly call for a September 8th launch of the phone at a contract price of $299.99.

That is why the latest MAP pricing for Verizon is so important. While it is not a perfect system and is not always correct, based on the latest leak, we can expect to see the Google Nexus Prime launched by Big Red on November 10th. The price will seemingly be the new gold standard for high-end smartphones, $299.99 with a signed 2-year contract. Also apparently scheduled for release the same day at the same price is the HTC Rezound, formerly known as the HTC Vigor.

For some reason, the Motorola DROID RAZR does not appear on the list, although that doesn't necessarily mean that the phone won't be launched until after November 10th.

Are Android Ice Cream Sandwich and Nexus Prime delayed due to an Apple patent dispute?

Now, here’s a possibility presented by Russian analyst Eldar Murtazin - Samsung and Google didn’t postpone their October 11th event because of Steve Jobs, but they rather did so because of the patent war with Apple. More so, Android Ice Cream Sandwich and the Samsung Nexus Prime are now “under question” and Google is actively removing features, which could have something to do with Apple patents. And finally, the search giant itself doesn’t have an exact timeline for all of this, so the rumored October 27th Samsung event might not be for ICS or the Nexus Prime, or might be pushed even further.

Long-time Nokia insider Eldar Murtazin has a mixed track record when speaking about Apple. Should you trust it? Possibly, but Murtazin doesn’t even hint at what is the source of the information, so we’d take it with a grain of salt.

Are Android Ice Cream Sandwich and Nexus Prime delayed due to an Apple patent dispute?
Initially, Apple sued Samsung for “slavishly copying” its products. The lawsuit was filed about handsets, but the software Samsung employs was also touched on as in its TouchWiz Android skin Samsung has allegedly also copied Apple down to minor details like the angle at which the phone handle on the phone app is pictured. Is Apple looking to sue Android as a whole now? That’s what Murtazin’s tweet might suggest, but it’s up to you to weigh in with your opinion in the comments below.