Optus will soon announce the release of Australia’s first mobile phone to use Google’s Android operating system, trumping Telstra, Vodafone and 3 Mobile.
The Australian release of the HTC Dream, manufactured by Taiwan-based firm HTC, is expected to be released in the next few weeks.
An Optus spokeswoman says the company may make an announcement on the phone this afternoon.
The phone boasts a full slide-out keyboard, 3G and Bluetooth capabilities and a 3.2 megapixel camera. It also comes equipped with several Google applications such as gmail, Google Maps and YouTube.
Optus is yet to release any pricing information for the device, but the model sells for $US179 on a two-year contract in the United States. While Google phones have been released in the United States, they are currently only available in Australia through eBay at around $1000.
The Google Android operating system has gained popularity due to the fact its source code is publically available, a contrast with the operating system behind Apple’s iPhone. Android allows users to create and use their own applications, while Apple must approve every application made for the iPhone before they are released.Online retailer Kogan Technologies announced plans for a Google phone last year, but has since cancelled the model citing “inter-operability issues” with future Android applications.
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Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
