T-Mobile to carry Android phone by year's end

[Charlyee]

April 24, 2008 11:22 AM PDT
T-Mobile to carry Android phone by year's end
Posted by Kent German


A T-Mobile executive said Wednesday that the carrier will offer a Google Android cell phone by the end of 2008.

At a wireless conference in Redwood City, Calif., Joe Sims, vice president and general manager of T-Mobile USA's Broadband and new Business Division, said that he has seen prototypes of an Android handset, and that the first in a series of devices will be available in the final quarter of this year.

Sims confirmed an earlier announcement by T-Mobile International CEO Hamid Akhavan at February's GSMA World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. During a news conference, Akhavan promised a fourth-quarter launch, but he did not specify which of the carrier's markets would get it first.

T-Mobile is the first U.S. carrier to set a launch date for an Android device. Though it is a founding member of the Open Handset Alliance, as of December a T-Mobile representative would not confirm that the carrier would even offer an Android phone. Sprint and Verizon Wireless are also members of the alliance, but the two carriers have remained silent on when, or even if, they'll launch devices.

Sims did not drop any details on the promised device, though HTC is rumored to be developing a device called the Dream. Motorola, HTC, Samsung, and LG are members of the Open Handset Alliance as well.

Though U.S. carriers have long resisted open platforms like Android, T-Mobile's adoption of the platform is another sign of how carriers have begun to loosen the reins. According to CNNMoney.com, Sims said that though the carrier was at first skeptical, T-Mobile now views Android as a way to encourage innovation and customer choice.

Source:

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

this doesnt mean much because we know they will all offer Android eventually

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by Charlyee

April 24, 2008 11:22 AM PDT
T-Mobile to carry Android phone by year's end
Posted by Kent German


A T-Mobile executive said Wednesday that the carrier will offer a Google Android cell phone by the end of 2008.

At a wireless conference in Redwood City, Calif., Joe Sims, vice president and general manager of T-Mobile USA's Broadband and new Business Division, said that he has seen prototypes of an Android handset, and that the first in a series of devices will be available in the final quarter of this year.

Sims confirmed an earlier announcement by T-Mobile International CEO Hamid Akhavan at February's GSMA World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. During a news conference, Akhavan promised a fourth-quarter launch, but he did not specify which of the carrier's markets would get it first.

T-Mobile is the first U.S. carrier to set a launch date for an Android device. Though it is a founding member of the Open Handset Alliance, as of December a T-Mobile representative would not confirm that the carrier would even offer an Android phone. Sprint and Verizon Wireless are also members of the alliance, but the two carriers have remained silent on when, or even if, they'll launch devices.

Sims did not drop any details on the promised device, though HTC is rumored to be developing a device called the Dream. Motorola, HTC, Samsung, and LG are members of the Open Handset Alliance as well.

Though U.S. carriers have long resisted open platforms like Android, T-Mobile's adoption of the platform is another sign of how carriers have begun to loosen the reins. According to CNNMoney.com, Sims said that though the carrier was at first skeptical, T-Mobile now views Android as a way to encourage innovation and customer choice.

Source:

Does this mean they are the first one to announce carrying it or they will be the only one carrying it when it begins?

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

Originally Posted by Mobile Mike

Does this mean they are the first one to announce carrying it or they will be the only one carrying it when it begins?

you would think something like this all the companies would be announcing early.....but they arent.....tmobile likes to build anticipation i guess......but tmobile of all people.......i would think that a company like VZW or AT&T would want to do that

[Eric47]

well t-mobile has blown ttheir chance to be first at alot of things lately. so i wouldnt be suprised if it happens again.

also there is no real competitive advantage with android. a couple cool things, but nothing that isnt already possible with most OS's. i dont see what it has to do with "openness", a term that is pretty well thrown around willy-nilly, IMO.

[RJB]

Well more so it can be seen for marketing there are many fans of android. So this can get something rolling.

[Mobile Mike]

Now if only T-Mobile would stop carrying so many darn Samsung phones...

It would be just my luck that Samsungs would be the first with the OS..

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

i think the hype around Android is that it's Java based.....and if all the companies eventually release their phones with the same operating system......simple Java programming would allow you to create a Widget for your phone....and it would work on every phone that uses Android and that meets hardware compatibilities in cases like WiFi or Bluetooth

[RJB]

Originally Posted by Mobile Mike

Now if only T-Mobile would stop carrying so many darn Samsung phones...

It would be just my luck that Samsungs would be the first with the OS..

I agree with you way to many samsungs and they feel very cheap to boot.

[Mobile Mike]

After hearing that T-Mobile's 3G network launch in NYC on May 1st is "Voice Only", I could care less if they get one of these Android OS phones. They promise this and that and rarely deliver.

Their promises of "what's to come" are getting very old, very quickly.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by Mobile Mike

After hearing that T-Mobile's 3G network launch in NYC on May 1st is "Voice Only", I could care less if they get one of these Android OS phones. They promise this and that and rarely deliver.

Their promises of "what's to come" are getting very old, very quickly.

Voice only? That sux. If you are doing voice only why even bother with a 3G upgrade?

-Jay

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

Voice only? That sux. If you are doing voice only why even bother with a 3G upgrade?

-Jay

That's been the consensus voiced by Engadget Mobile and Boy Genius Report. T-Mobile's been promising this for so darn long, it's hard to believe anything they say anymore. They're 2 to 3 years too late with 3G.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by Mobile Mike

That's been the consensus voiced by Engadget Mobile and Boy Genius Report. T-Mobile's been promising this for so darn long, it's hard to believe anything they say anymore. They're 2 to 3 years too late with 3G.

The way I see it though, there is no rush on their part to roll out 3G service. Any customers that need that type of data service have already left to go to other carriers.

-Jay

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

The way I see it though, there is no rush on their part to roll out 3G service. Any customers that need that type of data service have already left to go to other carriers.

-Jay

Not all of us... But I'm getting really close...

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

thats me......now i'm on Sprint but i did really like T-Mobiles value and i felt like i had an intimate relationship with the customers service

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by SmArTeStChIlD421

thats me......now i'm on Sprint but i did really like T-Mobiles value and i felt like i had an intimate relationship with the customers service

I agree with you about their value and customer service, but for some it isn't enough to stay with them anymore.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

we've determined by the way that T-Mobile is rolling out voice and data on their UMTS but the way they worded it they are trying to say that T-Mobile is going to roll out any specialized applications for the new platform