It wasn’t too long ago that Android was just a project, a glimmer of hope for the future of the smartphone industry. But then, in September 2008, we were rewarded with the world’s first Android handset, the T-Mobile G1. In the 23 months since then we’ve seen a deluge of Android phones hit the market, and lately it seems like manufacturers have stepped up their games. Motorola just released a pair of high-end devices on Verizon, while HTC has the EVO and the Incredible, while Samsung has gotten into the game with the Galaxy. That left no room for older devices like the G1. Fret not, though. T-Mobile is coming back with an encore.
Meet the G2
This is the teaser to end all teasers, since it contains no actual information. It doesn’t even say “coming soon.” The only thing we do know is that it will be T-Mobile’s first phone to run on its HSPA+ network, which has theoretical download speeds of up to 21Mbps. That in itself is an excellent feature, but will that make the G2 a worthy purchase?
(I’d say yes for the network alone, but that’s just me.)
At jkOnTheRun, Kevin Tofel talks about three features he expects from the G2. First is a 1 GHz Snapdragon CPU, but that could change if the device is actually slated for a later-year release and gets one of those newfangled, faster Qualcomm processors. Wouldn’t that be an enticing combination? New, faster processors and a 21Mbps network? Yes, please.
If Tofel is right on his other two guesses, then this could become a must-have Android device. First is a four-inch screen. This takes advantage of the HSPA+ network because it makes the video viewing experience that much richer. Watching video on a smaller screen isn’t bad, per se, but if you’re going to have unprecedented speeds you might as well have the video technology to go with it. The final guess, 720p video recording, would seem like a slam dunk, considering how many other devices now feature the capability.
Take all three of these and you’ll have one of the premier wireless devices, Android or not. Even if he’s right on two of three, this will still be a device worth having. Some, I’m sure, will want it just for tethering. I’ve had a great experience tethering my Nexus One, but it will only get better with a faster network. You might even experience speeds faster than your at-home connection. That would make the train ride infinitely more tolerable.
Still, everything is up in the air. We don’t have features, we don’t have specs, and we don’t have an approximate release date. What we do have is hype and anticipation. Those will go a long way in selling the G2.
