Verizon's app innovation center in San Francisco isn't just a place to drum up developer interest for the carrier; it's where you go to see what the company has cooking in terms of future capabilities and features.
I had a chance to tour the offices recently, checking out the company's RF-testing room, three labs (named after three of the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and gallery of advanced devices. The innovation center is partly there to help developers with their apps, and partly there for networking events to connect developers with each other and with Verizon.
Most interesting are some of the things Verizon is kicking around. None of it is all too groundbreaking, but it gives an indication of where the carrier may go down the line with phone capabilities. That's important for a developer looking to take advantage of the latest and greatest from devices.
Verizon, for instance, had a 3D test device on display. While 3D has been out for a while, including the HTC Evo 3D from Sprint Nextel and the LG Thrill from AT&T, it hasn't exactly been a hot seller. In fact, a lot of critics say 3D is just a distracting feature that adds little to the smartphone experience.