T-Mobile USA has been the epicenter of Android since HTC rolled out the T-Mobile G1 back in October of 2008. The company continued that tradition yesterday at the GigaOm Mobilize 2011 conference, with the unveiling of its first pair of 42Mbps HSPA+ Android devices.
In a keynote address, T-Mobile’s Chief Marketing Officer Cole Brodman unveiled the HTC Amaze 4G and Samsung Galaxy S II. T-Mobile says the new smartphones, which support the next evolution of its HSPA+ network (42 Mbps), are showing average download speeds approaching 8 Mbps with peak speeds around 20 Mbps.
The T-Mobile HTC Amaze 4G, which comes running Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread) features a 4.3-inch touchscreen, 1.5 GHz dual-core processors, an 8-megapixel camera and 1080p HD video recorder, a backside illuminated sensor for improved low light performance, zero shutter lag and a dual LED flash, as well as support for near field communications (NFC) technology.
T-Mobile also revealed additional details about the T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone, which is also available as the Epic Touch 4G from Sprint. The Galaxy S II from T-Mobile will come running Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread) and features a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED plus touchscreen and 1.5 GHz dual-core processor.
Brodman took time to outline the company’s Android efforts, as reported at various outlets, noting that 75 percent of the phones T-Mobile sells this year will be smartphones, 90 percent of which will be Android phones. Brodman also confirmed at the event that T-Mobile will not be landing an iPhone next month.
The HTC Amaze 4G and Galaxy S II are expected to be available in an online pre-sale beginning Oct. 10 and are expected to be available at T-Mobile retail stores and select dealers nationwide starting Oct. 12.
The HTC Amaze 4G is expected to cost $259.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate card with a two-year service agreement, while the Galaxy S II is expected to cost $229.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate card with a two-year service agreement.
Brodman also unveiled the Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot, which also supports the company’s 42 Mbps HSPA+ network for up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices. The Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot comes equipped with an SD card slot that accommodates up to 32GB of expandable memory, enabling customers to share and save photos, documents and videos. The Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot is expected to be available in October at T-Mobile retail stores and online.
As for that iPhone? It’s a familiar story and a familiar line from both T-Mobile and Sprint in the past. “We’d love to have the iPhone whenever Apple makes that available,” Brodman told GigaOm in an interview posted to the company’s website, adding that the ball is in Apple’s court. “We are waiting for that phone call.”
