Telecom-petition

• Source: Global Times
• [20:16 May 27 2011]
• Comments

Editor's Note:

These days telecom operators in China are not solely offering their various services from a set menu of options for the end-users to choose from, but have been increasingly focused on a more dynamic, flexible view toward bolstering cooperation with manufacturers for mobile devices, be they a smartphone or a tablet PC, given the promising growth prospects in the nation's mobile device market. The nation's sales of smartphones reached 19.91 million in the first quarter of the year, with the figure nearly doubling over last year, while tablet PC sales totaled 1.04 million, a 32.5 percent increase from the previous quarter, according to Beijing-based market research firm Analysys International.

Customized gadgets also appeal to consumers, thanks to built-in applications from telecom operators as well as bundled mobile services, which are usually only offered during a certain period of time to make the gadget overall appear to be of more value than it would be without the services. This week's tech page introduces several gadgets customized by the nation's three telecom carriers – China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom.

HTC A9188

Taiwanese gadget maker HTC is expected to soon release its HTC A9188, a customized smartphone powered by Google's Android 2.3 operating system for China Mobile.

The device has already obtained a network access license from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

It will be HTC's new Android flagship smartphone, running on an 800-megahertz OMAP 3630 processor and supporting auto switchover between TD-HSPA and EDGE networks. The device, featuring a 4.3-inch WVGA display, boasts dual cameras, a front-facing VGA camera and a 5-megapixeal rear camera supporting LED flash and autofocus. There is also a kickstand on the back to facilitate television watching. The exact release date and price of the device are still unknown.

Motorola XT882

On Monday, Motorola Mobility, jointly with China Telecom, launched the China version of the Droid X2, also known as XT882. Dubbed as a "triple-double king," the device supports dual standby and comes with a dual-core processor and dual SIM card slots. It also features an 8-megapixel camera for video chat as well as two SIM card slots for CDMA and GSM.

The gadget runs on Google's Android 2.3 Gingerbread platform, with a 4-inch multi-touch 540 x 960 pixel (qHD) display. It has an 8-gigabyte internal memory unit and up to 32 gigabytes of external memory support. Powered by a 1880mA battery, the device weighs 136.5 grams.

What makes the customized version different from the standard version are pre-installed applications offered by China Telecom, enabling quick access to the telecom operator's full suite of 3G mobile services. China Telecom will also offer a contract during a certain period of time for buyers who want bundled mobile services, but details of the contract remain unknown at the moment.

Presale of the device across the country will start between late May and mid-June, with full availability expected at the end of June at a retail price of 5,380 yuan ($829).