The Verizon Fascinate was the last Samsung Galaxy S variant to hit the U.S. and the carrier is doing its best to keep the phone up to date with software updates, even though some of them caused problems for users. Interestingly, Verizon is now listing the phone with a “retired” label.

You can see the red watermark embedded all over the device page. It says the phone is retired and so has already been removed from the carrier’s online store. So what would they replace it with? Probably the Galaxy S II variant for Verizon (whether it will be called Samsung Galaxy S II, Function, Fascinate II or Stratosphere).

BlackBerry 7 devices are starting to show up sporting their carrier brand. Now, the Torch 9850 has revealed itself, but this time for Sprint. The device has shown up in a lot of leaked inventory slides, but we pretty much knew it was for Sprint.

This gives us further confirmation that Sprint will be unveiling the Torch 9850 very soon. So will you be carrying a torch for this one when it arrives?

The folks over at BGR have obtained exclusive images of AT&T’s upcoming Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone, headed to AT&T. It sports the Galaxy S II model number, SGH-I927 and a slender build in spite of adding on a full sliding QWERTY keyboard.

The Galaxy S II is already the fastest-selling Samsung smartphone ever and it has yet to launch on any carrier in the U.S. Though U.S. carrier versions of the smartphone are expected to arrive in August, release and pricing for the AT&T version here is unknown. We also don’t know if it will launch with the Galaxy S II moniker or with AT&T’s own branding.

We already could have guessed as much, but last years iPhone continues to sell well, as recent numbers from carrier partners AT&T and Verizon show. Reporting earnings for its June quarter last Thursday, AT&T said it sold 3.6 million iPhones, which is more than the 3.2 million it sold during same period last year.

Verizon has sold 2.3 million in its second quarter. Together, the two carriers activated 11.7 million in the first half of 2011, that’s just 3.5 million under AT&T’s total iPhone sales for all of 2010. Remember this is a phone that’s been available for about a year already.

According to iPhoneItalia they have a “very reliable source” who claims that Apple will be launching the iPhone 5 on October 5th on Swisscom’s network. The source is a senior executive at Swisscom. The story says that the October 5th date is the “rest of the world” date. In other words one month after the US release date: September 5th.

Apple would inform wireless carriers of their iPhone 5 intentions ahead of time, so there may be something here, but for now it is just a rumor that is unconfirmed.

Word is that a slightly upgraded version of Motorola’s Defy Android smartphone may soon arrive at AT&T. If this rumor turns out to be accurate, the handset will get support for 850MHz, 1,900MHz and 2,100MHz HSPA bands, which are used by AT&T and some Canadian carriers.

Differences from the original device are said to include a 1GHz OMAP 3620 processor instead of the 800MHz CPU, and Android 2.3.3. Aside from that, RAM, storage space, camera specs and the 3.7-inch display should remain the same.

Many believe that Sprint and other US carriers are preparing releases of branded handsets based on the Galaxy S II, Samsung’s successor to the Galaxy S. Now some new shots seem to support this rumor. One shows the textured back of a device bearing both Sprint and Samsung logos along with an 8 megapixel camera.

The texture and camera are similar to what we’re expecting from S II-based models, so it makes sense. It might be called the Galaxy Within when it launches within days or weeks. It will probably be marketed as a high-end alternative to the EVO 3D that swaps 3D support for Samsung’s Super AMOLED Plus display tech.

The FCC’s database has yielded a mysterious HTC smartphone going by the PG76240 model name, with support for T-Mobile’s HSPA+ frequencies, which means that another HTC model might hit the carrier soon. There aren’t many details to go on, but it look like it will be the HTC Marvel.

The Marvel is just an HTC Wildfire S with support for T-Mobile’s network, and both devices share similar model numbers – PG76240 and PG76100. It’s just guesswork for now, but we should have confirmation soon.

Rumor is that Google has been working on a new Nexus handset and now we may have a brief glimpse at it thanks to folks at TechHog who have a photograph that is supposed to be a prototype of the Nexus 3. The phone is apparently being manufactured by HTC.

It has a front facing camera, and is being tested on HSPA+ and Sprint CDMA networks. So it looks like Google will launch the phone on Sprint since the carrier has been working with Google on Google Voice and Google Wallet. Other than that, we know nothing little else. However Techhog was asked to remove the images and info, so that pretty much confirms things.

It’s looking as if those rumors about a smaller, thinner iPhone with a larger edge-to-edge screen might be true. At least the CEO of France Telecom/Orange thinks so. Talking about Apple’s smaller SIM card, he confirmed that carriers, including Orange, are working with Apple on the new initiative and said that Apple’s next-generation iPhone will be smaller and thinner.

He specifically says the “next” iPhone, as in the fifth-generation iPhone, but the comment could just be a guess based on the smaller SIM card developments. But the other way to take the comment is that the next iPhone is actually an all new, thinner, smaller design. Can you tell that the wait to find out is killing us?

Steve Ballmer recently spoke at Japanese Developer Forum 2011 and unveiled some new information about the Windows 7.5 ‘Mango’ update for Windows Phone 7. Windows Phone 7.5 will bring 500 new features to Windows Phone 7 devices, though we don’t have any details on what these 500 features are.

He also said that tomorrows ‘Mango’ event will reveal details of new Windows Phone 7 manufacturers and carriers, and we can expect to see a new range of Windows Phone 7 handsets announced. Hopefully we will learn just what these features are soon and when we know, you will know.

Here’s some good news for Sprint customers who are waiting for the HTC Evo 3D. The carrier has confirmed that you can reserve the WiMAX handset by visiting a Sprint-owned retail store and buying a $50 gift card. We still don’t know when you’ll be able to get the device in-hand though. Same goes for pricing.

Sprint is also taking names for the Evo View 4G tablet and, like the 3D, that $50 deposit can be used. We just wish we knew when we might expect it if we are going to pre-order a phone.

Samsung has to be quite happy with the Galaxy S II. The company has taken over 200,000 pre-orders across all three major Korean carriers between Monday of last week and the launch on Friday. 160,000 of these were at the country’s largest carrier, SK Telecom.

It gets even more impressive. The pre-orders passed 10,000 units in the first 29 minutes and doubled that in over an hour. This surpasses iPhone 4 pre-orders last August and sets a new high for Apple to beat.

Looks like some White iPhone 4s are already hitting retailers around the world. And it is about time. That’s what the photo suggests. Belgian retailer, Van Roey, says that it has also received its first shipment, as shown above. The company says it is starting to sell them, although shipments are limited to addresses in the Benelux area for now. Lucky buggers.

So it would seem that white iPhone 4s are pretty much guaranteed for an official launch on April 27th, just like we had heard. The hardware is already in Best Buy retail systems, and it was even put on sale in the UK last week, prematurely. The white phone should be available through most carriers, AT&T and Verizon included. Are you getting a white iPhone?

The white iPhone 4 has been a huge pain for Apple and for anyone wanting one. But now it looks like the wait may finally be over. That’s because UK carrier Three has just put up a product page for the white smartphone.

The 32GB version is priced at £159 ($259) on a £35 per month agreement. The first white iPhone 4 handsets will ship on April 20, or this Wednesday. According to the product page at least. Hopefully this will be the end of it and you can hold it in your hands very soon.