Sprint’s new Network Vision campaign is clearly focused on moving their wireless network to the next generation. But as ambitious of a goal as this is, we won’t be seeing anything until at least mid 2012. Dividing their efforts between a new network and Apple’s iPhone, the Now Network’s future is filled with an almost limitless assortment of possibilities. With CES knocking at the door and an exclusive Sprint specific event on the way, we’ve decided to kick around a couple of ideas of what might be on the way.

Quad-Core
There’s been a reasonable amount of rumors suggesting that quad-core devices are on their way to the smartphone universe. However if this were the case, we wouldn’t expect Sprint to be the only carrier touting next-gen guts. With last year’s CES being dubbed by many as “Tablet Fest,” perhaps this year’s mobile focus will be on the mighty quad-core? If this is so, then why the private event?

First LTE/Ice Cream Sandwich Device
As mentioned earlier a bulk of Sprint’s focus on building a Long Term Evolution network, but a next-gen network needs a next-gen device. Apple won’t be releasing an LTE device anytime soon and Microsoft’s Windows Phone doesn’t seem likely either. RIM is completely on the ropes, so Android seems like our prime suspect. If it’s Android, we’d expect a double whammy in the form of a LTE/Ice Cream Sandwich mashup. The biggest uncertainty with this scenario is, would Sprint actually release an LTE-ready device before their new network goes live? Of course this doesn’t mean that they’d need to release the device before the network.

Whatever the case may be, Sprint has elected to have their own neighboring event in Sin City. We’re pretty sure they’ve got more waiting for us than an open bar. At least we hope so. No matter what’s in the cards, we know one thing for sure. This time what happens in Vegas won’t be staying in Vegas.