HTC's G2 "Sapphire 2.0" caught slumming in the wilds
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Jan 21st 2009 8:36AM
posted Jan 21st 2009 8:36AM
Well, well, lookie here... HTC's G2 followup to the original Android phone getting a good man-handling in the wild. Expected in May, the images were leaked without specs or any real details. Still, it's clearly the G2 / Sapphire 2.0 handset with 3.2 megapixel camera leaked just a few weeks back along-side the rest of HTC's 2009 models. Hey, you didn't need that physical keyboard anyway, right?
[Via Engadget Chinese]
[Via Engadget Chinese]
This is what the first generation T-Mobile G1 should have been and not the plasticy junk they released. Such a good OS hampered by such a design. I was expecting better of HTC seeing they are responsible for the Xperia and Touch Diamond Pro
this one also plastic and keys plastic too
and how much oil it takes to produce ?
Although its plastic it still has a better design than the original device. But seriously HTC and Google. For an enviormental company both of you are dumping a lot of plastic on us. Lighten up on it will ya?
Although it still is plastic, it looks ten times better than the previous device. For a company that talks about being enviormental friendly, I was expecting that to release their phone with a little less plastic in it.
Dude this is even uglier than the G1... again, HTC pulled off the unthinkable. Way to go.
just out of curiosity, what do you guys think the Xperia X1 and the HTC Touch Diamond are made of...if not plastic?
I wonder what happened to the actually nice design of the first mock-up:
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/11/12/all-the-android-coverage-you-want-is-at-engadget-right-now/
Looks much better then either the G1 or the G2 to me.
P.S. How come this post is not tagged "Android"?
I agree with Tare X, it's even uglier than the G1, which is really shameful.
To those knocking plastic as environmentally unsound:
Have you seen any lifecycle analysis work to suggest that this would be worse than a metal-bodied phone? I'm honestly asking because I don't know, but I know better to assume one material is automatically better than another.
Oh gosh do I disagree with the OP. After seeing this I am even more glad I hopped on the G1 instead of waiting to see what teh G2 would be like. I won't lie, I am apparently one of those "weirdos" who likes the way the G1 looks...AND god I love the full physical keyboard so very very much.
The back of this looks nice, but the front face? mmm Just looks off to me somehow.
But I guess to each their own.
I actually own the G1 and I'm glad as this device looks uglier to me. Plus, no physical keyboard, this is possibly a worse second release.
I take issue with that.
My phone is not plasticky junk. Granted I got the bronze version.
There are however some real problems with the phone.
First, the CPU is underpowered. Second, the camera is almost useless and there's no flash, not even LED.
Third, there's no headphone jack. Aside from that, it's a fantastic phone with great software.
though the battery could be a bit more robust.
It's wheat plastic. It doubles as a snack when caught in long meetings, or as a week's rations if stuck on a deserted island.
3.2 megapixel camera? No qwerty?
This is starting to look like failure already and it's only vaporware.
Those buttons are damn ugly.
They remind me of the buttons on my super old TV. Long, thin, and hard to push.
Super old? They look more like buttons from the 80s ... oh wait.
I'm still expecting better of HTC :[
Yeah, it's as if they've got an agreement with Microsoft to keep all of their Android phones fugly.
microsoft??
cause all the smexy HTC phones run WinMo
God.. thos buttons are ugly.. as a matter of fact, everything below the screen is ugly. They should have kept the G1 interface with 4 buttons and a trackball at the very buttom. What a waste of screen space.
The G1 has five buttons and a trackball at the bottom.
I don´t know, I don´t like those buttons at all.
@ Eeiy (2413) Please sit down... adults are talking.
Actually the iPhone has 4 buttons
I hope there is some big internal changes because it hasn't change a lot in design. Still looks Fisher-Price to me.
1990's Fisher Price you mean
"Hey, you didn't need that physical keyboard anyway, right?"
Listen, I'm not an Apple fanboy - I was going to get a G1 over it - but consdering that the physical keyboard is what made the G1 remarkable compared to the iPhone, yes, we did need it.
sarcasm, anyone?
Indeed. My sarcasmeter doesn't work in the morning, apparently.
I'm fine without a physical keyboard but it'd help if android actually had an on screen keyboard..
There is one in the current release, just waiting for tmo to approve it for the G1. There is stereo bluetooth and video recording capabilities as well, google android cupcake and you can take a look at the added features.
All they needed to do was take the G1 and update the specs a little bit and above all make it sexy. They did neither. A Little disappointing. I expect a lot of android phones this year so I don't think it matters.
Well said. Inferior hardware design, same resolution, same specs.
Agreed. Also, no physical keyboard is a deal breaker for me. This is a pretty terrible upgrade if that is, indeed, what it is and not some sort of companion model. In which case I'd want to see a real successor, stat.
@ Rob
If I remember correctly the G2 is not an upgrade to the G1, contrary to what the name might suggest. It is inteneded to be an expansion of the "G" family of devices, offering a touch-only option to those who dislike the keyboard.
Hey, if it runs on Verizon I don't care if it has a keyboard or not. I just want to get the hell away from Windows Mobile without having to switch away from my favorite carrier.
How'd they manage to make it uglier than the first one?
The world may never know...
They ACTUALLY managed to pull off an even uglier G phone. Thanks HTC for ruining Android.
What's that resolution I see? Is that THE SAME HVGA screen??? Is the G2.... INFERIOR to the G1??
So it's official: Pre vs Tegra for me...
Teh sexy will arrive from Lenovo soon!
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/12/12/lenovos-android-phone-for-china-hotter-than-a-g1-with-a-defecti/
Be patient, it takes time for all those outrageously expensive Windows Mobile licensing contracts to expire and NOT be renewed!
*CRASH* heard as Ballmer throws chair across the room...
That phone you linked to is only for China.
The G phone series are officially ugly. It's their "thing". I can't believe the Android phone HTC is prepping for May 2009, is an HVGA phone with no headphone jack, no keyboard, and a fugly inferior hardware design.
Tegra ain't no phone ya know! its a chip...no not potato chip
Does anyone know the screen size of this Sapphire 2.0? My main need is to have a portable portfolio since I am a photographer... Thanks.
3.something inches. Dunno about the resolution though.
Damn those HTC designers, I hope these aren't designed by child labourers in Chinese sweatshop factories.
When will these guys start using their imagination ?
They're doing a huge disservice to Google's Android !
Itll look better in black...just wait.
The keyboard is why I only get HTC phones.