DIGIT-ARC read-only archive · snapshot: July 23, 2026

Google Android Phone India Launch Announced

25 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/google-android-phone-india-launch-announced.99737/

kapsicum
kapsicum Original post #1
Oct 13, 2008 at 8:37 PM
News Source

hey guys this is a wonderful news for all us geeks

Google Android Mobile Phone powered by HTC phones will be available in India by end of this year in December, The company is in-talks with major mobile operator's for launching the product.

Hurray....
:eek: i am surprised dat its coming so soon in this part of the world after its US launch.

However like iPhone3G, it too wont cost so cheap as in US markets which is around $179 (approx Rs 8,500), Ajay Sharma, country manager, HTC (India) hinted this saying : "the Indian market does not work on the handset subsidy model". :(
gary4gar
Oct 13, 2008 at 9:31 PM
As we are the EMI generation.
Most banks would come with easy monthly payments:D
M
Oct 13, 2008 at 9:47 PM
8000 ke phone ke liye installment :(
kapsicum
Oct 13, 2008 at 11:29 PM
8000 ke phone ke liye installment :(

8000 or 8500 is US market price which is heavly subsidised by Mobile Operators just like iPhone, so it May cost Rs.20-30k in India, since Indian operators dont subsidise the Handset cost instead they charge low call rates (comparatively) & also provide us with EMI facility as gary4gar stated.
IronManForever
Oct 13, 2008 at 11:40 PM
Amd above all as its in initial phases, Android does not seem luring. There are flaws. :neutral:
Pat
Pat #7
Oct 14, 2008 at 12:54 AM
I dont expect it to be available for anything less than 25k! And thats a minimum..
H
hsr #8
Oct 14, 2008 at 7:10 AM
that has a touch screen, qwerty keypad and hell of an operating system, i dont think it would be 8k maybe 16-20k
Sathish
Sathish #9
Oct 14, 2008 at 7:17 AM
some rumors says that its price will be in & around 20K. HTC will launch the phone with airtel and it will have separate data plan.
MetalheadGautham
Oct 14, 2008 at 8:38 AM
Hmm... I think since the phone is android, the hardware level features of the phone will play the biggest role in deciding its price. Because software level features can always be added, since android has only just been launched.
parthbarot
Oct 14, 2008 at 10:48 AM
its grest news mates...really... but...but but... as you all said... price matters :D.. i mean..many wants to ake HTC android..but if they keep above 20 then... may be can be less popular...16 to 20 is ok.. :)

are unko bata doo.. aapne aapne prices ;). so accordingly they can take avg :D.. ha ha..joking..

regards.
DigitalDude
Oct 14, 2008 at 11:52 AM
if someone didn't know, its the HTC G1 *www.gsmarena.com/htc_g1-2533.php
it has a powerful H/W so the price will be on the higher side

_
IronManForever
Oct 14, 2008 at 1:12 PM
utsav said:
like wat?
Lemme think. I came across an article about the HTC G1. It said somehting that the current setup was very network dependant (for Data). You needed to have an ID for it. Many bundled apps were online ones. Isnt it? Too difficult in this part of world where bandwidth is ... you-know-what. Lemme google again. :neutral:
Pat
Pat #14
Oct 14, 2008 at 1:21 PM
Its true that G1 will be almost useless for the "aam junta"! Hardly anyone uses data services in India.
Pathik
Pathik #15
Oct 14, 2008 at 2:15 PM
It shouldn't be above 20k. Anyways, with the 5800 XM launching below 20k hopefully, it will capture the major part of the market.
IronManForever
Oct 14, 2008 at 2:26 PM
Pat said:
Its true that G1 will be almost useless for the "aam junta"! Hardly anyone uses data services in India.
And for those who do; it will be expensive as most services are capped/par-usage basis. And 3g is yet to be out; for optimum usage of the services provided by the Android. I dont see a good market. :neutral:
C
Oct 14, 2008 at 4:13 PM
*www.megaleecher.net/Google_Android_Phones_In_India"the Indian market does not work on the handset subsidy model".
It rocks to be an Indian. Need not wear handcuffs from operators.

Now one huge problem I see with Android is needing a Google ID to activate. Not that I don't have one. I understand the technical reason behind it (continuous synchronization of phone data). But at least there should be a way to disable it and activate phone without Google ID. If not, no business user will take up this platform.
IronManForever
Oct 14, 2008 at 5:51 PM
^^ Here's more.

Andriod and T-Mobile G1's Five most Obnoxious Flaws

Topping the list, it's tightly integrated with your Google account—so tightly that you can only use one Google account with the phone. If you want to switch to another account, you have to do a whole factory reset.

And the inevitable reference alongside iPhone talk.
Google Android flaws pushing developers towards iPhone?
H
Hitboxx #19
Oct 14, 2008 at 6:08 PM
That issue is only with T-Mobile I think.
IronManForever
Oct 14, 2008 at 6:59 PM
^^ There are faults that are home to the Android Platform.
x3060
x3060 #21
Oct 14, 2008 at 10:00 PM
interesting...16k seems to be the right price though
C
Oct 14, 2008 at 11:57 PM
^^ Here's more.

Andriod and T-Mobile G1's Five most Obnoxious Flaws
A highly biased article.

I agree about desktop syncing, video playback and recording. But WTF is he talking about Mobile Me? If he can trust Apple with his contacts, why not Google? Does Apple support syncing with Google's cloud in iPhone? Then why should Google support Apples? Also, unlike Mobile Me(ss), Google's cloud is far more reliable and proven.

And the inevitable reference alongside iPhone talk.
Google Android flaws pushing developers towards iPhone?
The article starts with,
Apple Insider claims
The moment I saw it I knew what was coming up will not hold any unbiased commentary. It turned out true. Revealing pre-release SDK to contest winners was not that bad. Yes it could have been a bit more open but giving it to winners would help identify more show stopper flaws as they'd have a better understanding of SDK. Thus if public pre-release has fixes for major flaws, it would give Android SDK a better image. I guess this was what Google wanted to do.

But it makes me wonder why a site which is such a huge supporter of Apple is even opening its mouth about openness. Apple is probably the most closed and secretive company on the planet (far more so than Google). The initial iPhone release didn't even come with an SDK. :-x
IronManForever
Oct 15, 2008 at 12:44 AM
^^ Quite true but then again Android has to ripen. Dont you think so?
The fact that its open helps it and flaws will be eliminated within days. And yeah, it may prove to be the best of the lot out there, who knows? ;)
C
Oct 15, 2008 at 12:54 AM
^^ If it supports syncing with desktops and does not need Google ID to activate the phone or even if needed provides a way to entirely disabling continuous syncing with Google's cloud, it already is a great platform and also far more open than any other mobile platforms (except openMoko and open-source Symbian). :D
H
hsr #25
Oct 15, 2008 at 5:55 AM
The htc g1 emulator is here !



*tmobile.modeaondemand.com/htc/g1/