Original URL: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/17/android_launch_next_week/
Android springs to life next week
Rises from Google's pocket
Posted in Mobile, 17th September 2008 10:12 GMT
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T-Mobile has been sending out press invitations to the launch of its Android-powered handset, confirming that all will be revealed on Tuesday next week.
The handset was glimpsed last Tuesday, at a Google Developer Day in London where it emerged from the pocket of Google's Mike Jennings, and unsurprisingly bears a remarkable resemblance to HTC's Dream handset - according (http://www.pcworld.com/article/151123/.html?tk=rss_news) to PC World magazine.
Although we'll be able to get the full specifications on Tuesday it's unlikely that T-Mobile will be selling handsets until October, when the Wall Street Journal reckons (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122150409898737579.html) HTC plans to shift between 600,000 and 700,000, though most analysts are hedging their bets at around half a million.
Quite what is going to drive half a million people to pick up an Android is unclear. Google's platform should allow developers to create some interesting applications, but the ability to add apps has never been a killer feature for mobiles in the past outside of the enterprise.
Mobile phones are usually sold because they look cool - the RAZR - have cool applications pre-installed - Blackberry - or a happy combination of the two - the iPhone. While we won't know what third-party applications are going to transform Android into a must-have platform, we will know what Google, HTC and T-Mobile are going to bundle with the handset and that could make-or-break the platform. ®