HTC has finally made details of their first Android phone available to the public. It bares the moniker “HTC G1“, may be it implies there will be subsequent versions.
It will launch in the USA through the carrier, T-Mobile on October 22, 2009 for USD179.00 and a 2-years contract.
One thing that is interesting, as reported by Engadet, is T-Mobile view on unlocking the phone. They will allow the unlocking of the HTC G1 after the initial 90 days into the 2-years contract, giving the HTC G1 an unlocked price of USD399.00 price.
There are two videos in Engadet’s Hands-on review comparing the HTC G1 to the Apple iPhone and showing off some of the 3rd party add-ons to existing built-in application. The latter is something that the OpenSource nature of Android has over the Apple iPhone.
HTC did not implement any multi-touch technology into the HTC G1. The use of on screen controls and hardware buttons makes the phone feel 1st generation. Also, in my opinion the look is also fairly ugly, but looking at the other HTC models in the past, one cannot expect the elegance of Jonathan Ive (arguably the best industrial designer in the world).
So far no news as to how the HTC G1 will be launched in other geographic locations.
[Update: September 24, 2008]
It is reported that T-Mobile will give away all applications on their Android Market Place free to the early adaptors to the HTC G1.