HTC has been on a global Android-pimping mission with its
Hero device, and it looks like Chinese subsidiary Dopod gets the honor of announcing three new handsets for the Middle Kingdom. Unlike
others, the Hero retains its WiFi capabilities by playing nice with China's custom WLAN security protocol and is expected in late August on China Unicom for 5,600 Yuan ($820) along with the few-frills
Click for 3,400 Yuan ($500). The carrier has opted to strip Google Maps from the Hero (though it's still downloadable), and to soften the blow it will likely offer a snazzy red version of the phone. China Mobile will have to settle for an as-yet unspecified
TD-SCDMA handset and the
already announced Magic, both of which will likely be sporting the
OMS flavor of Android. We're not sure we'd classify the Hero's price tag as reasonable -- but really, can you put a dollar figure on being the first big-name Android release in the world's largest wireless market?
posted Aug 3rd 2009 1:36PM
And why not, a cell phone for 1/2 to 2/3 the price of a car in China...
FIRST
to suck
You're new here, aren't you?
WTH First ??
5600 Yuan for a Hero...
...= =perhaps even more expensive than a N97
Don't forget that the upcoming iPhone is under 3000
Yeah, those prices seem crazy expensive...$500 for a craptastic Click? They've got to be kidding.
I thought HTC banished the Dopod brand to focus on HTC-branding....
Hey, Palm Pre owners, how many apps are in the app catalog now? Any ideas?
$500 for a shitty Click? No wonder the KIRF market is flourishing. The Meizu M8 wipes the floor with these (not the Hero, but still).
I mean WTH! can we get some announcements or clues AT&T? Not a peep out of them sans the leaked powerpoint stuff. Need to put a APB out on a US3G gsm Android device..sheesh
That's cool, I can't wait to buy a Hero here in the states in like 2013 or so. My God I love our cell companies. I'm surprised our cell phones don't have a rotary dial on them.
who will save US? Where is my HERO?
but I kid, when are we getting the HERO again? Tmobile said the wednesday after never, :-(
soooooooooooooooooooooo expensive.......
price is crazy expensive, they think all Chinese are fool :"(
when is the Hero coming to AT&T in the US.
You guys are a little behind:
HTC Magic already launched a while ago here with the China Mobile version of Android (see O-phone). This version has 3G, but does not have Wifi. HTC is always called Dopod here. HTC carries Wifi, which mobile phone carriers do not allow here as it prevents them from making money off of GPRS or 3G.
The price is not that strange as you buy the phones branded, but not with contract.
In Europe, non locked, non contract HTC phones are way more expensive (think 7000 rmb).
The problem with Android in China is not the phone standards but the carriers. They want full control (which is why the iphone is not here yet, and if it comes, the app store will be crippled). On top of that Android was not designed to handle chinese characters.
To conclude: Android is here, but in a strictly controlled form due to chinese lust to make money and obsession with control of anything from outside.