T-Mobile Starts Pre-Orders for MyTouch 3G, Launches August 5
Wed Jul 08, 2009 3:31 pm
Struggling wireless carrier T-Mobile today started pre-selling the MyTouch 3G, its second Google-powered smartphone, as it attempts to keep pace with other high-profile device launches from its rivals.
T-Mobile, the fourth-largest U.S. carrier, is feeling the pressure from both larger wireless providers that outdo it with better smartphones and pre-paid rivals that undercut its monthly plans.
Still, Cole Brodman, T-Mobile's chief technology officer, said he expects the MyTouch to be a popular device.
Google's first Android-powered smartphone, the G1, was a rare success for T-Mobile -- selling a million units between its launch in October to the end of last year.
The MyTouch is a sleeker version of the G1, with a larger focus on software -- the Android Marketplace now boasts 5,000 apps but still a tenth of the size of Apple's App Store.
T-Mobile will launch "AppPack," a new application within Android Market that manages T-Mobile accounts and highlights new programs such as Sherpa -- an app that automatically learns and recommends favorite food, stores, and attractions based a user's preferences over time.
The company will also start "Make It Work," a service similar to Sprint's Ready Now program where store representatives help customers setup their smartphones.
The handset has built-in 3.2-megapixel camera, music player and video capabilities to share photos and videos on sites like YouTube and Picasa. It can also be personalized with custom home screens, widgets and learn user preferences and offer recommendations.
The T-Mobile MyTouch 3G will hit stores on Aug. 5 and will sell for $199 with a two-year contract, $20 more than the G1.
