I have to admit, a lot of the blogs I read were not particularly excited about the first iteration of the Android platform on HTC’s G1 phone. Although few have taken a real look at it, the consensus was that it was pathetic in comparison to the iPhone.

But not so fast. While there have finally been some early (and mixed) reviews, the only thing that matters for Google, HTC, and T-Mobile is how many of these phones they sell. Word is now that 1.5 million have already been pre-ordered–a number that doesn’t include retail sales, and the holidays are coming. That ain’t half bad.

What are the reasons for the big interest? First of all has to be Google and Android. Anything with their name attached has instant credibility. Second, it’s dirt cheap compared to the first wave iPhones. At $179.99 (with 2-year contract), it’s not going to break the bank. Third, many current T-Mobile subscribers don’t seem very happy with their smartphones and may be excited about the G1 out of pure necessity. Fourth, as was the case with the iPhone, a lot of grey market overseas orders may be coming in, waiting to unlock it and sell it to users in different countries and different carriers. Fifth, it’s an HTC touchscreen device with a full keypad. I mean, that’s pretty cool, and with Android and a low price, there is destined to be interest.

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 12th, 2008 at 5:42 pmand is filed under Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.