T-Mobile Unveils G1 Powered by Android

T-Mobile USA has launched the first Android-powered mobile phone in partnership with Google (News - Alert). The T-Mobile G1 combines full touch-screen functionality and a QWERTY keyboard with a mobile Web experience that includes the Google products that millions have enjoyed on the desktop, including Google Maps Street View, Gmail and YouTube (News - Alert).

 

The T-Mobile G1, with a fun and intuitive user interface and one-touch access to Google Search, is also the first phone to provide access to Android (News - Alert) Market, where customers can find and download unique applications to expand and personalize their phone to fit their lifestyle.

 

“We are proud that T-Mobile is the first operator in the world to launch an Android-powered mobile device,” said Christopher Schläffer, group product and innovation officer of Deutsche Telekom (News - Alert), in a statement. “Since 2005, Google has been an established partner in T-Mobile’s groundbreaking approach to bringing the open mobile Internet to the mass market. With the T-Mobile G1, we are continuing our strong tradition of being pioneers in the world of the open Internet.”

 

Cole Brodman, chief technology and innovation officer, T-Mobile, said, “The Internet and the mobile phone are both indispensable tools for our hectic lives, but only a fraction of us access the Web on our phones. The T-Mobile G1 is our opportunity in the U.S. to accelerate the mass adoption of the mobile Web, by unleashing Google innovation with a unique software experience that mobilizes the Google services hundreds of millions of consumers rely on every day.”

 

Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile is the U.S. operation of Deutsche Telekom AG’s Mobile Communications Business, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of T-Mobile International, one of the world’s leading companies in mobile communications.

 

By the end of the second quarter of 2008, 125 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group – 31.5 million by T-Mobile – all via a common technology platform based on GSM, the world’s most widely-used digital wireless standard. “Increasingly, connectivity does not just mean a phone call, but rather access to the world’s information,” said Andy Rubin, senior director of mobile platforms for Google. “Today’s news signifies an important first step for the Open Handset Alliance: With Android, we’ve opened the mobile Web not only for millions of users, but also to mobilize the developer community that understands the next most important platform in the world rests in the palm of our hand.”

 

Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users.

 

The T-Mobile G1 with Google delivers a premium, easy-to-use mobile Web and communications experience in one device. Working together, T-Mobile, Google and HTC (News - Alert) integrated Android and T-Mobile services into the phone’s form and function.

The T-Mobile G1’s vibrant, high-quality screen slides open to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard, great for communicating with friends online or using the phone’s e-mail, IM and mobile messaging capabilities. As another option for accessing the device, the T-Mobile G1 comes equipped with a convenient trackball for more precise, one-handed navigation.

 

“T-Mobile, Google and HTC share a similar vision for making the mobile Internet practical, relevant and fun,” said Peter Chou, president and CEO, HTC Corp. “The T-Mobile G1 represents the culmination of this vision by offering a variety of services, applications and content that introduces an Internet experience that everyone can enjoy. We are honored to be joining T-Mobile and Google today for this historic unveiling of the T-Mobile G1.”

 

Founded in 1997, HTC is a major player in mobile phone innovation and design. Since its establishment, HTC has developed strong R&D capabilities, pioneered many new designs and product innovations and launched state-of-the-art smartphones with mobile operators and distributors around the world. These devices are available as HTC devices and as products customized for operator and device partners.