T-Mobile USA Still Expecting Google Phone in October
Despite various (denied) reports of delays, T-Mobile USA is still expecting to launch a smartphone powered by the Google promoted OS, Android this coming October. Sources have told the New York Times that the phone is expected in October, but will certainly be on sale before Christmas.
Google hopes these next-generation phones will significantly boost mobile Web usage and increase its ad revenue as a result. If successful, Google could shake up the wireless industry by changing the economics of mobile phones and by forcing carriers to offer more open Internet access.
The touchscreen based smartphone will be supplied by Taiwan's High Tech Computer, or HTC, a company which has traditionally focused on Windows Mobile based handsets. There were unconfirmed rumours last month that Sony Ericsson is in talks to buy HTC.
The newspaper said that the release date is now largely dependent on getting authorisation from the telecoms regulator, the FCC to offer the handset in the USA. While usually just a formality, there are occasional delays - and it is still possible that the first commercial launch could happen in a different country.
“The launch of Android is an important milestone in the industry,” said Richard Wong, a venture capitalist at Accel Partners, which invests in mobile start-ups. But, he warned, it was only one of several platforms being developed or upgraded today. He said that what he found most exciting was that Google’s Android and Apple’s iPhone “forces others to innovate faster.”
Google is widely expected to announce improvements to the Android platform in the next few weeks - including a new software development kit (SDK) following complaints about the current platform.
On the web: New York Times
Posted to the site on 15th August 2008
