The largest mobile phone operator in Japan, NTT DoCoMo, has unveiled plans to begin selling mobile phones based off the Google Android operating system.
NTT DoCoMo's announcement of the phones, which will begin to launch as early as next month, show the company's dedication to developing a so-called Apple iPhone killer.
The HT-03A smartphone, developed by High Tech Computer (HTC), has a touchscreen and track ball, similar to th the G1 smartphone currently offered to U.S. consumers from T-Mobile. This keyboard, however, uses character input keys and has similar hardware to the HTC Magic phone.
Specifically, it has a 3.2-inch touchscreen, 3.2-megapixel camera, weighs 123 grams, and has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS. Interestingly, a geomagnetic sensor for use with programs such as Google Maps Street View is available -- the sensor allows for accurate orientation of the phone's location.
"This was developed by a Taiwanese manufacturer, but we hope that Japanese makers will develop Android-based mobile phones, too," NTT DoCoMo president Ryuji Yamada said. "This handset can offer different services from iPhone and we see this as a big step forward in our smartphone series."
In Japan, Softbank, one of NTT DoCoMo's largest competitors, offers the iPhone exclusively -- though consumer demand for the device hasn't been as high as other nations.
I'm disappointed the Android-based phone, similar to the iPhone, won't have built-in ability to pay for purchases and train tickets through the phone. Using mobile phones to pay for items in Japan has increased in popularity, though it seems somewhat odd that manufacturers won't include the feature with the HT-03A.
The Google Android OS has received even more support from manufacturers, with companies still very much interested in trying it out on upcoming mobile phones and other devices.
