After leaking word of it back in July, T-Mobile finally announced plans for the G2, the evolution of the incredibly popular G1 smartphone. As of right now, we don't have all the details, and there's a chance that we won't have anymore details until the end of September when preordering is allowed. However, there was still enough information that was announced in the latest T-Mobile press release to even make some comparisons between the G1 and the G2, and to speculate on any potential price differences. One particularly good bit of news is the early indication that G1 chargers should work with the T-Mobile G2, and some accessories, like memory cards, will also work.
For most consumers, the most important difference will be T-Mobile's newly revamped HSPA+ network, which promises 4G-like speeds. Now, you'll probably here some bickering between the carriers about the claims, but as far as the average consumer is concerned, it's all noise. What matters is HSPA+ (up to 14.4 Mbps) will be noticeably faster than the G1 on 3G (up to 7.2 Mbps), and while 4G is theoretically faster, you'll have moved on to a new phone anyway. There is, however, one concern about the move to these faster networks: battery life.
Prior to the announcement of the G2, word was that the HSPA+ connectivity apps were power thirsty. So speculation was that next-gen T-Mobile phones would have either to have bigger batteries or cut power usage elsewhere. And that looks to be exactly what happened as the press release suggests that the G2 will use an 800 MHz Snapdragon processor rather than the 1 GHz CPU many of us expected. We have to admit that this is a worrisome change since it suggests that the HSPA+ apps are an issue. We're not sure we like the idea of less CPU power dealing with a more demanding OS and apps. Nonetheless, clock cycles don't mean that much, so let's just wait and see what they plan to do.
There are other big changes as well, all of them for the better. Instead of 192 MB of internal memory, the G2 has 4 GB, and it includes an 8 GB MicroSD card as opposed to the 1 GB in the G1. Users will be able to upgrade to either a 16 or 32 GB card as well. The new display is quite nice as well, 3.7-inch (480x854) compared to the 3.2-inch (320x480) on the G1. The T-Mobile G2 also includes a 5- rather than 3.2-megapixel camera, and recording is 720p HD rather than 480p SD.
The other big difference will be the use of the T-Mobile-tweaked Android 2.2 Froyo operating system. The T-Mobile uses the Android 1.6 Donut, and we probably don't have to tell you how much change there has been since then and now. Froyo brings a lot of exciting potential to T-Mobile's G series, and we really look forward to seeing how well the G2 leverages it. Right now, it looks as if T-Mobile will price the G2 at $199, which is exactly the G1 price point. There's also the rumor of a $499 unlocked edition, which seems steep for a non-1GHz smartphone
For most consumers, the most important difference will be T-Mobile's newly revamped HSPA+ network, which promises 4G-like speeds. Now, you'll probably here some bickering between the carriers about the claims, but as far as the average consumer is concerned, it's all noise. What matters is HSPA+ (up to 14.4 Mbps) will be noticeably faster than the G1 on 3G (up to 7.2 Mbps), and while 4G is theoretically faster, you'll have moved on to a new phone anyway. There is, however, one concern about the move to these faster networks: battery life.
Prior to the announcement of the G2, word was that the HSPA+ connectivity apps were power thirsty. So speculation was that next-gen T-Mobile phones would have either to have bigger batteries or cut power usage elsewhere. And that looks to be exactly what happened as the press release suggests that the G2 will use an 800 MHz Snapdragon processor rather than the 1 GHz CPU many of us expected. We have to admit that this is a worrisome change since it suggests that the HSPA+ apps are an issue. We're not sure we like the idea of less CPU power dealing with a more demanding OS and apps. Nonetheless, clock cycles don't mean that much, so let's just wait and see what they plan to do.
There are other big changes as well, all of them for the better. Instead of 192 MB of internal memory, the G2 has 4 GB, and it includes an 8 GB MicroSD card as opposed to the 1 GB in the G1. Users will be able to upgrade to either a 16 or 32 GB card as well. The new display is quite nice as well, 3.7-inch (480x854) compared to the 3.2-inch (320x480) on the G1. The T-Mobile G2 also includes a 5- rather than 3.2-megapixel camera, and recording is 720p HD rather than 480p SD.
The other big difference will be the use of the T-Mobile-tweaked Android 2.2 Froyo operating system. The T-Mobile uses the Android 1.6 Donut, and we probably don't have to tell you how much change there has been since then and now. Froyo brings a lot of exciting potential to T-Mobile's G series, and we really look forward to seeing how well the G2 leverages it. Right now, it looks as if T-Mobile will price the G2 at $199, which is exactly the G1 price point. There's also the rumor of a $499 unlocked edition, which seems steep for a non-1GHz smartphone
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You can find T-Mobile G2 accessories at Think Mobile Solutions. We offer many types of accessories including T-Mobile G2 screen protectors and other accessories. Shipping is free within the U.S.
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