Press release
First phone to run on Android hits the shelves at T-Mobile stores
London, 30 October: The T-Mobile G1 - the phone built for the internet and the first to run on the innovative Android open source mobile software platform - went on sale in the UK today, prompting a queue of gadget enthusiasts outside T-Mobile's Central London store stores eager to get their hands on this year's most anticipated mobile phone.
Queues began at 5:00 am at T-Mobile's Oxford Street store which opened early to allow shoppers to get their hands on the T-Mobile G1.
Exclusive to T-Mobile, the G1 offers a completely new mobile internet experience with full touch screen plus QWERTY keyboard for easy online communication and high speed internet with popular Google services already on board. The T-Mobile G1 also offers access to innovative application downloads from the new Android Market, 50 of which are available now to download for free. These initial applications enable you to do everything from compare prices to mix a cocktail and even measure the earth's movements.
Andy Burgess, a software programmer from Farringdon, London, was the first to emerge from T-Mobile's Oxford Street store with a T-Mobile G1. He said: "Being the first person in the UK to own this mobile phone is amazing - I'm going to be popular at work! I've been waiting for this phone for months and I knew I had to be the first to own it."
Jim Hyde, CEO, T-Mobile UK said: "With the richest web experience ever seen on a mobile and thanks to the Android Market, the unprecedented ability to make your mobile work just the way you want, the T-Mobile G1 is set to revolutionise the way we use our phones. And judging by early reports coming in from our stores today, people are enthusiastically embracing this revolution and signing up for the T-Mobile G1."
The T-Mobile G1 is available for free on T-Mobile Combi and Flext price plans from £40 a month, including unlimited fast mobile internet browsing powered by T-Mobile's award-winning network.
The G1's full QWERTY keyboard makes it simple to write exactly what you want to say and navigating is even easier using the touch screen and trackball. There's also one touch access to all your favourite Google applications including web search, Google Maps, Google Talk and Google Mail. So whether it's email, instant messaging, social network updates or even calling and texting, the T-Mobile G1 is perfect for whatever form of communication you prefer.
With Google Maps, T-Mobile G1 users can instantly view maps, satellite imagery, find local businesses and get driving directions. And Google Maps synchs with the built-in compass - an industry first - to allow users to view locations and navigate 360 degrees by simply moving the phone with their hand.
The 50 applications available to download for free at Android Market include Wikitude, which displays local information from Wikipedia live on-screen when scanning your local surroundings using the phone's camera. There are also a number of applications designed to help consumers make their money go further including ShopSavvy, which uses the G1's camera to ‘scan' product barcodes and then searches the web using the browser to find the best available prices. Other applications help users indulge their interests. SplashPlay teaches users how to play the guitar by streaming video over the web, whilst Cooking Capsules and Cocktail! comb the web to provide recipes and instructions based on the contents of your kitchen or drinks cabinet.
