HTC is still stinging from a less than impressive quarterly earnings that's partially the result of a successful iPhone 4S campaign by Apple, according to an AP report . The Taiwanese handset manufacturer saw a 70 percent drop in profit and a 35 percent decrease in revenue year over year

Verizon Wireless confirmed plans on Thursday to launch a new feature this summer that will allow families to share a single data plan . Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam has discussed the carrier’s plans to launch the new data feature in the past, and the executive stated that shared data plans will become available by the end of this year . Now, during the company’s first-quarter earnings call on Thursday, McAdam clarified that shared data plans will become available to Verizon Wireless subscribers by the middle of the summer

Verizon on Wednesday reported earnings for the first quarter that narrowly beat analysts’ expectations. The nation’s top carrier posted a profit of $0.59 per share, up about 16% over the same quarter last year and $0.01 above Wall Street’s consensus.

The four major carriers in the United States — Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile — all advertise some form of 4G technology, whether it is LTE, WiMAX or HSPA+, and each company claims to have either the most reliable, biggest, fastest or best network. PCWorld put the carriers claims to test in its “2012 Mobile Speed Test” and found that AT&T’s 4G LTE service featured the fastest download speeds while Verizon’s 4G LTE network provided the fastest upload speeds. T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 21 network was the fastest 3G service and the carrier’s HSPA+ 42 service held its own with both AT&T’s and Verizon’s 4G networks, making T-Mobile a good choice for many wireless users who are looking for affordable plans.

A Reuters report claims Verizon Wireless will start charging customers an additional US$30 when they upgrade their phone. This fee will apply to existing customers who buy new hardware with a two-year customer agreement. Verizon says it's levying this additional charge in order to "provide customers with the level of service and support they have come to expect." Verizon will be joining Sprint and AT&T, which also charge customers an additional fee when they upgrade.

Verizon Wireless on Wednesday confirmed that it will soon begin charging subscribers a $30 upgrade fee when they purchase new wireless equipment on contract. Verizon is currently the only major carrier that does not charge customers a fee when upgrading their devices on a new two-year contract — AT&T and Sprint each charge customers $36 to upgrade to a new device on contract, and T-Mobile charges an $18 upgrade fee.

Following a huge week that saw Apple’s stock climb above $630 amid a fresh round of analyst upgrades , one analyst isn’t sold on the notion that smooth sailing is assured in the immediate future for the world’s most valuable company . BTIG Research analyst Walter Piecyk thinks Apple is set to report blowout earnings for the second fiscal quarter — he sees Apple earning $10.75 per share on sales of $40 billion in the quarter, versus Wall Street’s consensus of $9.81 and $36 billion — but he downgraded Apple’s stock to Neutral from Buy, noting that it’s time for investors to “take a breather.” Read on for more

The unannounced LG Lucid 4G, code-named Cayman, is reportedly slated to arrive on Verizon’s 4G LTE network within the coming weeks.

Your prayers have been answered if you’ve been looking for a 4G LTE without having to empty out your wallet.

Apple’s latest iPhone