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.
The T-Mobile Lumia 810
The phone will be available "in the coming weeks".
Sources: T-Mobile USA [1, via TMONews], [2]
"If you can find a PS3 anywhere in North America that's been on shelves for more than five minutes, I'll give you 1,200 bucks for it." -- SCEA President Jack Tretton
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