ZDNet UK: T-Mobile started selling its G1 phone, which runs on Google’s Android platform, throughout the UK on Thursday.
G1, which is a rebranding of HTC’s Dream handset, has touchscreen functionality and a Qwerty keyboard. It uses the open-source Android platform, a full mobile stack including operating system and applications.
As a result, the G1 also provides access to Android Market, where customers can find and download applications for the phone, including mashups. Developers are free to create their own programs for the Android platform and upload them to the Android Market, where they will get 70 percent of revenue for their software.
Daniel Meredith, T-Mobile’s UK head of handset and device marketing, told ZDNet UK on Thursday that the launch was “incredibly exciting” for the mobile service provider.
“Today marks a step change in where we are going as an industry,” Meredith said. “Android opens up communication on a platform that is truly open. The Android community will deliver unique services and applications.”
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