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| T-Mobile Unveils the First Android Powered Phone- the G1 by Shiv K. Bakhshi, Ph.D., IDC T-Mobile, in partnership with Google, today announced the launch of the first Android-powered mobile phone. Built by HTC, the G1 will be available in the US at select T-Mobile stores and online beginning October 22 for $179, with a two-year voice and data contract. UK availability is expected in early November, with other European countries early next year. T-Mobile USA is offering two data plans - $25 per month for unlimited web and limited messaging and $35 for unlimited web and unlimited messaging, on top of a voice plan contract. The G1 combines touch screen functionality made popular by Apple, with a full QWERTY keyboard made popular by RIM, and a slide out keyboard reminiscent of the Sidekick. It includes a trackball to help navigate applications, supports dual-band 3G connectivity (at 1700 MHz and 2100 MHz) and quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, as well as WiFi, and is powered by Qualcomm's 7000 series chipset. Other features include a 3 mega-pixel camera, music player, one-click contextual search, full HTML web browser ("Chrome lite", according to Andy Rubin of Google), one touch access to popular Google apps, an HTML client that seamlessly syncs email from POP3 and IMAP mail services (including Gmail), and a beta version of Android Market, Google's app store launched last month. While the music player supports MP3, AAC, WMA and other files, it won't support iTunes due to the DRM. Astonishingly, it doesn't include a 3.5 mm jack-found on most music phones today-but rather a proprietary jack, nor does it include Bluetooth support despite the emphasis on music enablement via Amazon's music library. Two of the more salient features are the "long press" function allowing you to dive deeper into the feature in use say, to go from an address in a contact to directions and turn-by-turn navigation and the ability to view multiple web pages. Multiple IM protocols from Google Talk, AOL, Yahoo! Messenger and Windows Live Messenger are supported. The G1, not unexpectedly, comes equipped with deeply integrated search and navigation services. One click contextual search allows you to quickly search for relevant information with a touch of a finger, and a zoom works by simply tapping on the screen. Google Maps supports street level navigation and satellite imagery, and Google Maps Street View combined with the built-in compass feature, allows you to view landmarks as you navigate through physical space. Built-in accelerometers afford a 360 degree view of a locale with a simple turn of the device. The G1 includes attractive third party apps like ShopSavvy, a comparative shopping application, Ecorio, which helps you track daily travels and your carbon footprint, and BreadCrumbz, which allows you to create routes and populate them with photos. While the G1 supports Microsoft Word and Excel files, it doesn't support Microsoft Exchange, nor online sync to a PC. Data synch is over the air. As a result, if your contacts are not already in Google apps, it presents a challenge. More remarkably, despite WiFi support, the G1 doesn't support UMA, strongly pushed by T-Mobile, or Skype, and is also not designed to function as a tethered modem. The G1 comes SIM-locked to T-Mobile's network, but Engadget quoted T-Mobile CTO Cole Brodman today as saying customers will be able to get a "contract free" G1 for $399, while others could unlock the device with T-Mobile's blessing after 90 days. The G1 serves the interests of all three parties Google, T-Mobile and HTC. Designed to showcase the power of the Android platform, and intended to be a application and advertising vehicle for Google, it represents Google's first clear foray into the mobile space. Their decision to partner with T-Mobile seems rooted in pragmatic considerations. For one, the other US GSM player, AT&T, is already backing Apple's iPhone. For another, partnership with T-Mobile allows Google to quickly take the platform and device across the Atlantic. However, what's interesting is that Google, which has sought to break the tight control exercised by mobile operators consider the company's push for open networks ultimately found it necessary to partner with one. However, that said, the launch of the G1 should it capture the interest of consumers and mobile developers should bode well for Google's attempt to get a solid footing in mobility. Android should serve as a useful vehicle for Google apps and the company's mobile advertising goals. More devices are expected from HTC as well as other device vendors, including Motorola, Samsung and LG. It serves the interests of T-Mobile, beyond providing a much needed flagship device, in that it allows the operator to showcase, and attract subscribers to the 3G network it's deploying in the US. It also allows them to attract and retain new subscribers. T-Mobile's currently deployed its 3G HSDPA network in 16 markets and hopes to extend it to 22 markets by G1 availability, and to 27 markets by year end. However, given the device's ability to support GSM/GPRS/EDGE and WiFi, it will function throughout the operator's network footprint. And, of course, it serves HTC's interests in that it allows the Taiwanese vendor to showcase its technology leadership in addition to a first mover advantage that translates, among other things, into a strengthened relationship with both the network operator and Google. The G1 is already inviting comparisons to Apple's iPhone. This is unfortunate, since form should be closely aligned with function. The challenge for the G1's backers, however, is that the average consumer tends to focus more on tangible form than on an intangible underlying software platform, no matter how good it is. Drawing attention to the openness of Android, Google's Rubin noted that this meant that developers could modify the platform and make it better. He suggested that this makes the platform future proof. Perhaps. But IDC believes it may be possible to overrate the merits of openness. At the end of the day, technology needs standards to lower transactional costs, and for interoperability. A rather democratic approach to the operating system which may allow device vendors to tweak it in their own image, could well raise costs for developers. T-Mobile and Google have targeted the G1 at youth and family segments. Despite that, the debut of yet another royalty free operating system after Limo Foundation and Nokia's decision to make Symbian royalty free is likely to create further pressure on Microsoft to rethink its Windows Mobile licensing strategy. After everything is said and done, to the extent that it can expand the possibilities of what people can do on mobile devices, the G1 is likely to be a net positive for the mobile industry, developers, and consumers. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Computing News :: home page |