First Android phone to hit UK in November

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 23 Sep 2008 at 16:05

T-Mobile has confirmed that the first Android-based mobile phone, dubbed the G1, will arrive in the UK in November.

Unveiled in New York by T-Mobile, HTC and Google, at first glance the HTC-built G1 bears more than a passing similarity to the iPhone, though it features a slide out keyboard which could appeal to anybody still not convinced by Apple's touchscreen effort.

Featuring a 3.2in 320 x 480 HGVA screen, and 3.2 megapixal camera, the phone supports Wi-Fi, 3G and Bluetooth, though Android currently only supports wireless Bluetooth headsets.

Beyond its sleek lines, however, the G1 offers an impressive integration across its apps, with users able to email photographs from Flickr or quickly find their position on Google maps using the built in GPS. Contrary to earlier reports, the G1 also features an instant messaging tool with presence, allowing friends to see when your phone is switched on.

The browser is powered by WebKit or "Chrome-lite", according to Andy Rubin, Google's director of mobile platforms who claims the browser has been "perfectly optimised for a small screen."

Those looking for a work phone may be disappointed. While users can read Microsoft Word and Excel files, and PDFs, there's no Exchange server support, though Rubin claimed "this is a perfect opportunity for third party to develop it."

Indeed, third party-support was high on the agenda with Rubin claiming Android was "future proof and liable to lead to a fundamental shift in how people use the internet."

There was also time for a backhanded swipe at the iPhone from T-Mobile CTO Cole Brodman who claimed that while there was a massive appetite for mobile broadband "people who've used it up to now haven't found it a compelling experience. We're going to deliver that by leaning on open development."

The phone will cost $149 and be sim locked to T-Mobile in the US, though there's no word yet on pricing or network options in the UK.