Bellevue,
Wash. – Android-based smartphones could be poised for a further market-share
gain in the coming months with the launch of Android smartphones priced down to
$9.99 at
.
The
carrier also unveiled lower cost data plans and a Wi-Fi tethering plan.
T-mobile’s low-priced Android phones are:
-
T-Mobile Comet, available Nov. 3 at $9.99
after a $50 mail-in-rebate with a two-year service agreement and qualifying
data plan. It will also be available as a prepaid phone in Best Buy, RadioShack and Target stores at less than $200;
- LG Optimus T with Google, available Nov. 3 at
$29.99
after a $50 mail-in-rebate with a two-year service agreement and qualifying
data plan;
-
Motorola Charm, which is already available at $49.99 after a
$50 mail-in rebate and two-year agreement with
qualifying
data plan;
Motorola Defy at
$99.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate with a two-year agreement and qualifying data
plan. An availability date wasn’t
released.
The launches will follow a launch by Sprint of
two of its own low-priced Android phones. One is the LG Optimus, which became
available Oct. 31 in Sprint
channels at $49.99 after $100 rebate with data plan. The other Sprint
phone is the Sanyo Zio from
Kyocera. It debuted Oct.
10 in Sprint channels at $99.99 with two-year service agreement and after a
$100 mail-in rebate.
To
go with its low-cost Android quartet, T-Mobile unveiled lower data-plan prices that it expects to offer sometime during
the holiday season. For a limited time, a 200MB/month plan will be
available for $10 per month with a new two-year service agreement or $15/month without contract. A new unlimited plan
will be available for $30/month. Both
plans must be paired with a voice and text-message plan.
The carrier’s Wi-Fi tethering plan lets users
connect their Wi-Fi-equipped laptop or other portable device to the Internet
via a WiFi-equipped cellphone. The tethering plan at $14.99/month is available
only in conjunction with the $30/month unlimited-data plan.
Here
are the details on each of the four new T-Mobile phones:
T-Mobile Comet
:
The device features 528MHz
processor, 2.8-inch full touchscreen display and 3.2-megapixel camera.
It’s targeted to consumers said to be “ready to make the affordable transition
to their first smartphone.” It’s
available in black.
The device features customizable
home screen, 600MHz processor, 3.2-inch full touchscreen display and 3.2-megapixel camera
with video capture. Features include
voice command. It’s available in burgundy or Titanium finish.
The scratch- and
water-resistant device is also dust-proof and features Motorola’s Motoblur social-network and
contact-aggregation service. It comes with 800MHz processor, 3.7-inch full touchscreen, and 5-megapixel camera with flash and video capture.
It’s available in black and Linen colors.
Also with Motoblur service, the Charm features full
QWERTY keyboard, 2.8-inch touchscreen, Backtrack touchpad on back to simplify onscreen
navigation, 600MHz
processor and 3-megapixel camera. It will come in Golden Bronze or Cabernet colors.