T-Mobile announced that its September 23 news conference will include a presentation of the first wireless phone powered by Google Inc.’s Android software system. Even though many expected to be able to buy the phone starting with next week, the company will release it sometime next month.
The subscription to the carrier’s mobile services will ensure a much smaller price for the product, with T-Mobile, as it is expected in these situations, will subsidize part of the costs. This procedure is used everywhere, and the subsidized amount is gained back by the carrier through the monthly fees.
The company did not offer details about the exact shipping date or the pricing and all these and more should be
disclosed during next week’s conference. The phone, named Dream, is made by Taiwan's High Tech Computer (HTC) and the reason why people are looking forward to its release is because Google’s Android software is supposed to provide a much better platform for Web browsing, at a level never before seen on a mobile phone.
HTC's Dream handset is just over 5-inches long and about 3-inches wide, with a keypad underneath the screen that will either slide out or swivel out. The design of the keypad aims for easy e-mail, note-taking and writing Web addresses. The Internet navigational controls can be found below the screen.
"Developers can expect the first handsets to be enabled with a beta version of Android Market," said Eric Chu, Google's Mobile Platform program manager, in a blog post last month. He also promised further updates.
The phone’s main competitors are expected to be Apple’s new 3G iPhone and Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry. In order to turn the software into a worldwide success, the company will have to convince customers that its offer and services are significantly better than Apple’s or RIM’s and if the plan succeeds, many more devices will soon be sold with the Android software. Google wants to see if its platform can compete with Windows Mobile and all the other operating system on the market. One of the hints that it does present the potential needed is the massive interest shown in the OS and the 30 companies that already joined the Open Handset Alliance (OHA).
The OHA was formed on November 5, 2007 through a Google initiative and its member base is formed of several mobile handset makers, application developers, chip makers and mobile carriers, including Intel, Samsung, LG, Nvidia, T-Mobile and Motorola. Android represents its first major project, which is based on the Linux operating system.
Even though the companies involved wanted to keep all the data private until the official announcement, certain details and photos leaked and the initial strategy had to be changed. Even so, the reports and articles can only help such a campaign, raising the awareness of the general public about an upcoming release. All the enthusiasm and anticipation that have been building up for quite some time, should translate into a significant market request for the new G phone.
