T-Mobile, together with Google and HTC, has just announced the launch of the first Android phone at a press conference in New York. The T-Mobile G1 with Google, to give it its full name, will launch on 22 October in the US, with a UK launch early November and full European launch in the first quarter of 2009. Needless, to say, the phone is available exclusively on T-Mobile. Unveiling the device, HTC CEO Peter Chou said:
“The G1 and the Android platform are contributing to a
fundamental shift in how and where people consume the Internet and HTC
are proud to be part of it.”
The conference is still ongoing and the full spec has not yet been announced, but suffice to say, from the promotional videos, it looks and feels pretty much like an iPhone, and like the iPhone, it has wi-fi capabilities. Unlike the iPhone, however, it does have a slide-out keypad, in addition to its touch-screen capabilities.
The price of the device in the US will be $179, with a choice of two data/messaging plans. A $25/month plan offers unlimited web browsing and some messaging, while for $35/month, you get unlimited web browsing and unlimited messaging. The browser is not Googles Chrome, but Webkit, which uses the same base technology as Chrome. Googles Senior Director of Mobile Platforms, Andy Rubin, said people could “think of it as “Chrome Lite”.
Right now, Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page are holding court at the conference. Well have more details on the spec as it is released.