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T-Mobile’s First Android Phone Coming Next Month?

TmoNews is reporting that despite rumors of developer troubles and delays that T-Mobile’s first Android based smartphone codenamed the G1 is on track to be released September 17th, 2008.

We’re hearing rumor after rumor that Android has been delayed, and pushed back to 2009. Well TmoNews is jumping into the pool or rumors, calling BS on those other rumors, and putting in our vote of confidence on a presale of the Android phone on September 16th, 2008. This information, coming from a trusted source, prices the Android phone, also known as the G1 (Codename or real name, we’re not sure) at $399.

Full invoice that is.

Scare you? Good, well during the presale of the G1, T-mobile customers can pick up the phone for $150. This is where it gets interesting, we’re not seeing any prices for new activations during the presale, so this could mean that only current T-mobile customers can pick up the G1 during the presale. Other customers interested in the G1 may have to wait until begining/mid October before a national public launch. Many users have seen the recent video circulating the next claiming to be the HTC Dream (AKA G1), and have been complaining about the ugly white color. Well we have good news for you too, as the G1 will be released in black, white, and brown. Being 3G enabled, the HTC manufactured G1 will unfortunately require its own data plan from T-mobile, which we expect to be more expensive then current data plans. Interestingly enough (maybe not so much knowing Google) users will be required to have a Google Gmail account for the phone to work. So far expected specs include 3G, a 5″ long by 3″ wide touch screen, and a slide out Qwerty keypad, and no mention of UMA or Wifi. We’re really excited for this all-too-secret device to hit T-mobile’s lineup. Stay tuned to TmoNews for more information coming soon!

Update: The HTC Dream (G1) will have a 3.0 megapixel camera. The presale will last 1 week, and be for existing customers only. Employees are not included in the presale, sorry! Presale begins Wednesday, September 17th, and 3G will be a large aspect of this device. Use your imagination

I call BS.  Complete and total BS.

While what WAS leaked on video IS likely the HTC Dream or G1 prototype hardware, and it DID look to be in a finished and functional state,  I can’t imagine that Android as an OS is anywhere near production ready.

Everything I’ve heard from just about every developer who was interested in writing Android software is that the SDK hasn’t been updated in months except to a couple of closed door devs, and even those devs are saying that the OS isn’t up to spec yet.

If T-Mobile really is planning to release a phone with an OS that isn’t quite there yet,  they are simply setting themselves up for failure.  The whole point of Android is to have an open phone OS that is able to compete with Windows Mobile, Palm OS, and iPhone.  This phone will be the first Android phone released, and will set the tone for public opinion on the OS.

If the OS doesn’t work it’s going to be really hard for Android to regain the traction it had.  Though I can understand the urgency for releasing a phone as soon as possible.  With the second generation iPhone already on the market, and a large number of developers already focusing on that platform, Android already has a tough road to hoe, so to speak.

Also, the article points out that this phone will be running on T-Mobile’s not even born yet 3g network.  Any way you look at this, T-Mobile and HTC are running a huge risk with this device if they are actually planning to release it next month.

Let’s hope it pays off.

Check out the video of what is being called the HTC Dream below: