T-Mobile Triples Production of Android G1 Phone

A surge in consumer demand for the first smart phone powered by Google's Android software has prompted T-Mobile to triple its order from HTC for the G1 smart phone and to extend the deadline for presales before the Oct. 22 launch.

Strong presales of T-Mobile's G1 smart phone have prompted the mobile carrier to triple its orders for the first smart phone powered by Google's Android software. Set for an Oct. 22 launch date, T-Mobile also announced it was extending presales of the G1 to Oct. 21 although the much-anticipated phone will be delivered at a later date.

The presales demand seem to support T-Mobile's prediction that it will sell more than 500,000 units by the end of 2008. HTC, which is manufacturing the G1, has said it expects that T-Mobile will sell 600,000 to 700,000 units from late October through Dec. 31 and as many as 2 million by the end of 2009.

Click here for an eWEEK video look at the launch of the T-Mobile G1.

"Given the great anticipation and the heavy presale demand for the T-Mobile G1 with Google, we nearly tripled the number of phones initially available for delivery on our Oct. 22 launch date, and have sold through them all," T-Mobile said in an Oct. 3 statement.

The initial sales of the G1 will inevitably be compared to those of the Apple iPhone, which sold 1 million first-generation iPhones in 74 days in 2007 and a stunning 1 million iPhone 3Gs in three days in July.

Enderle Group Principal Analyst Rob Enderle told eWEEK in September that he anticipates very strong sales for the G1.

"Unless this thing is buggier than the last iPhone, it probably will sell very well given the power of the Google brand and the interest in the phone," Enderle said. "It will get a lot of press coverage and it may be the hot thing for the fourth quarter."

The G1 will be available at select T-Mobile retail stores in 22 U.S. markets. The device is priced at $179 with a two-year voice and data agreement. T-Mobile will also offer a $35 per month data package featuring unlimited Internet and text messaging. A $25 package will include unlimited data but limited text messaging.