August 14th, 2008
First Android phone on September 17th?
The Android project has been filled with rumor and speculation — and it continues. It sounds like the first handsets featuring Google Android will be available on September 17th for existing T-Mobile customers. There is no official word that confirms or denies this, but apparently the sources are credible.
The first “Android phone” exists. It’s a HTC phone and it appears to already be in the “first series” phase as it is being distributed now among selected employees/managers at HTC, T-Mobile and 3rd parties. Various organizational activities, including marketing and training of employees, have started. — Venture Beat
If true, the price sounds a bit scary — $150 if you pick it up during the presale (that’s the September 17th launch), or $399 otherwise (sometime in October). If the price isn’t enough to scare you, it sounds like the data plan will be more expensive than current ones available through T-Mobile currently too.
Being 3G enabled, the HTC manufactured G1 will unfortunately require its own data plan from T-mobile, which we expect to be more expensive then current data plans. Interestingly enough (maybe not so much knowing Google) users will be required to have a Google Gmail account for the phone to work.
It’s going to be a battle of brands — Google vs. Apple. Which company can leverage their brand to influence buyers? My guess is that Apple will take the cake, but Google has surprised me before. What do you think?
Garett Rogers is employed as a programmer for iQmetrix, which specializes in retail management software for the wireless industry. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
