Various sites have been reporting that Verizon’s Sholes/Droid will not be the only Android 2.0 phone released late October/early November. Instead, “Droid” will brand the line of Verizon smartphones that will use Google’s Android operating system.

The phone known as the HTC Desire will be called the “Droid Eris,” and the top-of-the-line Android phone, formerly known as Motorola’s Sholes, will be simply known as “Droid.”

The Droid Eris is a touch-only phone with a 5 MP camera and trackball. The Eris will retail for less than the Motorola Droid.

Verizon’s plan is to knock AT&T from position of smartphone leader by offering attractive and powerful phones featuring Google’s open-development Android 2.0. Verizon has, in the past, placed restrictions on what their phones are capable of, but it seems as if the company will take a hands-off approach with the Droid line.

There have been numerous reports that AT&T’s data network has not been able properly support the data-intensive iPhone. Many iPhone users report that placing or answering calls can be downright impossible at times, simply because AT&T’s network is overburdened. Verizon, which arguably supports the largest cellular network across the United States, has positioned itself well to siphon smartphone users away from AT&T with a superior network and superior phones.

Expect multiple reviews of Verizon’s Droid phones as they are released within the next couple of weeks. BuyDroidPhones plans to feature the best, most complete reviews.

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