T-Mobile Unveils the HTC G2 Android Phone

T-Mobile has finally unveiled the G2 smartphone made by HTC. It is the successor to the first Android phone, the G1.

The carrier didn't list a price or exact shipment date, merely saying that customers will be able to pre-order the device later in September and pointing to a site on which they can register to do so . Smartphones in this category have been selling for around $200 to $250 (Rs. 9,300 to Rs. 11,600 approx.) with a two-year contract in the U.S..

 

The G2 features a 3.7-inch touchscreen as well as a full Qwerty keyboard that swings out on an unusual hinge design. It runs a Snapdragon MSM7230 processor clocked at 800 MHz. That's below the 1GHz of several new smartphones on the market, but within the range of support for features customers want, analysts said.

That 800MHz clock speed supports longer battery life and multimedia viewing, T-Mobile said.

The G2 also runs Android 2.2, the same OS version that the Galaxy S from Samsung is still not getting. The Galaxy S phones and some others will upgrade later this year -- perhaps about the same time the G2 actually ships, bloggers and analysts have noted. Android 2.2, also called Froyo, supports the Flash media player, among other features.

Other features of the G2 include: seven customizable home screens, with one-click access to Google apps; an HD video camera for high definitation (720p) video; and a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and autofocus.

The G2 comes with a pre-installed 8GB microSD memory card and can support up to 32GB of external memory, T-Mobile said. It has 4GB of internal memory.