Rumor has Android G2 in the works

On the heels of Google revealing enhancements to its Android mobile platform, rumors are circulating that we may soon be seeing a new Android device.

The original Android phone: T-Mobile's G1.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

The T-Mobile G2, as the device will reportedly be called, will debut on January 26, according to "rumors" reported by Cell Phone Signal. The new device is expected to have a 5-megapixel autofocus camera, VGA camera for video calls, a full touch screen, and Wi-Fi connectivity, according to the blog.

Boy Genius Report has reported a follow-up rumor that says those specs are pretty accurate, but that the release date will actually be in April. Boy Genius' tipster said the G2 wouldn't have a physical QWERTY keyboard, but there would still be a trackball at the bottom of the device.

The new device is also expected to be non-exclusive to T-Mobile and sold elsewhere around the world, according to Boy Genius.

This week, some of the changes made to the mobile operating system by a private group of developers came to light in Cupcake--the Android code the group shares with the outside world. Now, according to the Android road map, the Cupcake enhancements have started to be merged into the wider, open-source Android project.

Some of the changes coming to Android are bug fixes, affecting elements such as e-mail, conversation-list scrolling, and the alarm clock. Several new features are, however, also being added--for example, the ability to save MMS attachments. The Linux kernel upon which Android runs has been upgraded to version 2.6.27, and "basic x86 support" has been added.

[ppratik96]

These two sentences dont make since together:

"The T-Mobile G2, as the device will reportedly be called"
and
"The new device is also expected to be non-exclusive to T-Mobile and sold elsewhere around the world, according to Boy Genius. "

How is it called the T-MOBILE G2 if its "non-exclusive to T-MOBILE????

Please Reply

[stevenmusil]

@ppratik96:Boy Genius reports that the device would marketed under names other than T-Mobile and G2.

[Seaspray0]

Perhaps the device name has not been fixed yet... and that's not uncommon. When windows goes through development, it's given a code name like whistler or longhorn, but that's not the name it will be sold under. Note that the author said "the device will reportedly be called...." and they are based on rumors reported by Cell Phone Signal. That's not exactly a set-in-stone way of defining the name. The author can only tell us what information he's been given and how he aquired it.

[theonlybuster]

@ppratik96
How can it be called the T-Mobile G2 and be non-exclusive? Simple. A little device called a sim card. It's the reason you can buy the a product, such as the IPhone, and have it available until other carriers aside from Cingular/AT&T

[theillien]

Good question. I was frustrated to find out that the first device is on T-Mobile (one of the worst services AFAIC). The lack of information regarding other service providers is pissing me off. If this phone turns out to be exclusive to T-Mobile and I don't hear about offerings from other providers soon I'm going to go buy an iPhone.

[Someone-else]

Maybe they don't know the name for sure, so they call it T-mobile G2. Remember, the G1 also has a non-T-Mobile name: HTC Dream.
I've heard rumors that the G1 is going to other countries next year, like Brazil, where I live, and there is no T-Mobile here, so it won't be called T-mobile G1. Maybe they just call it HTC Dream, or give another name, like Vivo(one of our cellphone operators) G1, or Claro G1, who knows... I just hope it comes cheap, less than the R$2000(US$1000) they are charging for the iPhone, so I can think about getting one latter next year.

[jag0]

@ theillien:

Cell coverage various by location but you've probably never had Sprint...their customer service and phone coverage is terrible.

I've had all the major carriers over the years and my 2 top are T-Mobile and Verizon...although AT&T coverage with my iPhone 3G is pretty good and I live and work in Los Angeles & Orange Counties in Southern California.

[PhaseDMA]

I hate how companies take a phone made by a major company like HTC, and put their own name on it like T-Mobile.

If nothing else it makes it slightly more difficult to get information about the phone before and after buying it.

[extravagenthash]

Well All I am going to say about this is "Boy Genius says a lot of crap" LOL

[codynews]

Yawn...

[jag0]

Troll much?

[MafiaPenguin]

@codynews:
I agree

[lmasanti]

quote:
"When [W]indows goes through development, it's given a code name like [W]histler or [L]onghorn,..."

Using Microsoft's Windows development to Google's Android development is like giving tons of bleak to the search company!

[forever4now]

I would not want to be a handset vendor that does not deliver an Android-based phone in 2009. It is clear that Android's momentum is building rapidly and they are likely to quickly lose their position in the marketplace.

HTC has a bit of an advantage, since they are already delivering their second generation Android smartphone. Practice makes perfect.

I'm really curious which vendor will deliver the first Android netbook. Android is designed for low power consumption, it should boot and run fast on an x86 machine, it is inherently net-oriented and it will run all the apps (free and paid) from the Android market. It could really set the netbook segment on fire (as if it isn't already).

[AppleSuxLeo]

"VGA camera for video calls" will give new meaning to the term "phone sex" !

[celticbrewer]

What's with this no keyboard craze? If these smart phones are for, among other lesser things, PDA Apps, Web Surfing, E-Mail, IM, even productivity- I'd rather type on a keyboard than a touch screen. I like the slideout KB on my friend's G1. I surely won't be buying a G2 product (or other smartphone) without one.

[jag0]

I've written some very lengthy emails and IMs on my iPhone 3G and I never seem to have a problem. As with any new device there is always a learning curve and of course EVERYTHING is subjective when it comes to technology.

[NorthernSun]

I have very big thumbs, and I find the touch-screen keyboard on the iPhone is too small and narrow for me. If they make it a big virtual keyboard then I will be fine.

[woodygg]

completely agree. no keyboard, no dice.

[jsdavis]

tmonews.com dispels the rumor of the g2 arrival date. they even go on to say that they don't even consider cell phone signal a viable source for ANYTHING anymore. maybe crave should do the same...

[Edited to remove prohibited spam.]

[professionaladventurer]

cause the first one was sooooooooo cool and definitively killed the iPhone?

[this1!]

yawn.

i wish you would stop talking.

and breathing.

[droideo]

Lots of G2 pics on our website: http://www.droideo.com/search/?search=g2

Definately an iPhone killer!

[cam4492]

phonedog did an interesting article... this is absolute crap

the article mentions web2go... which would be a rediculous feature when you consider android's web browser built into the device's OS

[sflocal]

Rumor? Did you have some kind of impression that all Android development stopped at G1? Rumor has it there is a G3, G4, G5 down the road too. Or did I accidentally spill to much info that now you have to think of a different headline?

Nothing to read here... move along...

[maeckg]

Do not mind one version with just touchscreen keyboard, but the slide out keyboard differentiates the gphone. While iphone touchscreen kb is good for that sort of thing and the G1 also, it is very tiny for my fingers. I did tech support for some of the first gneration PDAs and miss the stylus oprion, but always found that a keyboard is a powerful tool. I will buy a version with some sort of physical kb.
Any one know of an external bluetooth keyboard that might work? It could fold up around the phone like a travel case.

[angry jubu]

"Corrected" date (supposedly): April '09

http://www.phonemag.com/the-unconfirmed-g2-to-unveil-on-april-2009-126029.php

[jheylin]

I think people are going to be pissed as Hell if they come out with a new phone in January, especially after rushing the release of the first one. http://www.futureofgadgets.com/futureblogger/show/1482

[big.mouth]

Will there be a 3.5mm headphone jack? I used one of those crappy adaptors on my old HTC phone. Without a real headphone jack, the G-phone will never compete with the iphone.

[llebwoc]

don't trust Boy Genius Report. they are rarely correct..... they said that the bold would be released in September, and then October but finally got it right.

[stigmattaman]

Boy Genius is the man, and they get it right quite often. The Bold thing was due to AT&T unexpectedly delaying it to not go through a 3G issue that the iPhone did, but BG was right on with when it was supposed to come out.

[spacydog]

Meh, the G1 was a tad underwhelming despite the fact that all the reviews I've read gave it the benefit of the doubt due to the "potential" of the OS. You don't buy a phone for its potential, folks.

[kwaysee]

some lady at a t-mobile booth in the local mall told me that the G2 would not be available in the US. i was about to call her an idiot, because she also told me that t-mobile was not a wireless internet provider. i said really, and she said, they were about to release one that connects to the usb port. i still don't know what the crap she was talking about, but i do want to know if there is any truth to her notion of the G2 being exclusively overseas.