It’s been just over a week since T-Mobile premiered the G1, the first cell phone with Google’s Android OS. Although the phone won’t be available for three more weeks, T-Mobile has already sold all of its preorder units.
That’s right, folks. The Gphone is sold out.
Of course, T-Mobile most likely set aside a significant number of G1s to be sold direct in stores. One report cited by Business Week said that T-Mobile expects to sell up to half a million G1s this quarter. Their order with the phone’s maker, HTC, naturally, is for a much higher number: 1.5 to 2 million.
As Unwired View points out, two million isn’t a whole lot compared to the iPhone’s early predictions (10 million). But considering the amount of competition we’ll be likely to see among Android handsets, it’s probably plenty.
No other companies have yet premiered Android-based phones, but rumors abound about many in the works. Allegedly, five other cell phone makers are working on Gphones—possibly including Samsung, LG, and Motorola. Qualcomm is supposed to definitely be one of the other makers.
The world’s largest mobile phone manufacturer, (do you even have to ask?) Nokia, however, appears to be going in a different direction: the new Nokia Tube, also an iPhone competitor, comes with a large touch screen—and bundled subscription music download service. The Tube, like other Nokia phones, will most likely run Java ME apps.
What do you think: will the G1, the Tube or another Gphone be the iPhone killer—or none of the above?
