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T-Mobile USA's handset selection continues to be good, but not great

Fresh of its pending merger with MetroPCS Corp. (PCS), Deutsche Telekom AG (ETR:DTE) subsidiary T-Mobile USA announced a shiny new Android handset from LG Electronics Inc. (KSC:066570).

Those hoping to get the shiny Optimus G on T-Mobile are in for a disappointment -- ol' pink is instead getting the L9, the second nicest model in the quintet of Androids announced earlier this year by LG (from lowest-end to highest-end: Optimus L3, L5, L7, L9, and G).

T-Mobile continues to trail the other carriers somewhat in Android handset selection.

The L9 has a "powerful" 1 GHz dual-core 28 nm Snapdragon 4 from Qualcomm, Inc. (QCOM) (which ironically will likely be produced on Samsung's Texas chip line).  While decent by mid-range standards, that chip will be a definite downgrade of the Optimus G's quad-core processor.  


The LG Optimus L9

HSPA+ will be the communication technology of choice (versus LTE in the Optimus G).  And the screen will be 4.5-inch qHD (960x540 pixel) (versus the gorgeous 4.7-inch 1280x768 pixel HD unit in the Optimus G).  The camera drops from 13 megapixel in the "G" to 5 megapixel in the L9.

Both phones do feature the Gorilla Glass 2 protective coating and "bright colors".  And both come equipped with Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" (with an 4.1 "Jelly Bean" update on the horizon).

T-Mobile USA says the new Android will be available in the "Fall" window.

Also announced was Nokia Oyj.'s (HEX:NOK1V) Lumia 810 Windows Phone 8 handset.  While T-Mobile USA "exclusive", this unit appears to just be the HSPA+ variety of the Lumia 820, which AT&T, Inc. (T) and other carriers should be offering.

Versus the premium Nokia Lumia 920, the Lumia 810 has swappable colored shells (cyan or black -- strangely no T-Mobile pink).  The swappable shells support the Qi wireless charging standard.
T-Mobile Lumia 810
The T-Mobile Lumia 810

The phone will be available "in the coming weeks".

Sources: T-Mobile USA [1, via TMONews], [2]


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All I can say...
By killerroach on 10/8/2012 5:24:29 PM , Rating: 1
...as a T-Mobile user, those don't exactly make me excited about replacing my current SGS2. Maybe I'll have to look into getting an unlocked Optimus G or something similar when the time comes...




RE: All I can say...
By retrospooty on 10/8/2012 5:34:55 PM , Rating: 2
OF course... The SGS2 was a high end device, in its day, and this is a mid range. Its like saying you dont want to replace your 2007 BMW 3 series with a 2012 Honda Accord. Not the same level.


RE: All I can say...
By killerroach on 10/8/2012 5:40:07 PM , Rating: 2
The difference being, of course, that the flagship device from a year ago was available (in a manner of speaking) on T-Mobile. Like it or not, pointing out a flagship device's absence is a fair comparison when past flagship devices (including ones by LG, like the Optimus 2X) have appeared on TMO in the past.


RE: All I can say...
By retrospooty on 10/8/2012 6:05:26 PM , Rating: 2
Either way, the Opti G looks like a monster phone. If I didnt just get a GS3 in july and a Galaxy Nexus 7 tablet just today I would get it, but I'm all tech'd out LOL.


RE: All I can say...
By Samus on 10/8/2012 11:51:59 PM , Rating: 2
SGS2 is a hard phone to replace. I have a SGS3, and I still think my wife's SGS2 is a nicer phone to hold and use. Everything from the fully capacitive buttons to the textured back cover...just feels more polished than the Galaxy 3.


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