Click to enlarge |
Questions as to why they were now launching a G1 model when a new G2 model is tipped to be launched at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona later this month. It emerged that the answer may lie in the fact that G2 may possibly be a software upgrade that may be downloaded to the launched Google phone.
Speaking at the Australian launch today, Karim Temsamani, General Manager for Google Australia and New Zealand said that the new device, which is sold by Optus, is not 'exclusive.' This leaves the door open for Telstra to launch a G2 HTC Google phone later this year.
The HTC Dream will be available through Optus from February 16, 2009 to post-paid mobile customers. Plans will start from $59 per month plus handset costs, but Optus will be offering three other plans to suit all budgets.
The HTC Dream combines full touch-screen functionality and a QWERTY keyboard with a mobile Web experience that includes the popular Google products that millions have enjoyed on their desktop, including Google Maps with Street View, Gmail, YouTube and others.
