RSST-Mobile's strategy to combat Apple's iPhone with Android
By Jacqueline Emigh | Published July 9, 2009, 5:26 PM
To put a bigger dent in Apple's growing command of the US mobile phone market, T-Mobile USA will start to use weapons ranging from hardware diversity to "usability," improved customer service, and new software applications, according to Cole Brodman, CTO for the mobile carrier.
"IPhones are great, but Apple's vision isn't as wide," Brodman contended, during an interview with Betanews at a New York City press event on Thursday.
The HTC myTouch 3G -- the first of three Android phones eyed by T-Mobile for 2009 -- is a more "powerful device for the mobile Internet" than the iPhone, according to the CTO. In contrast to Apple's iPhone, Android devices will become available in a much larger variety of hardware form factors, he added.
China-based HTC, the maker of the myTouch, already produces several other Android phones, including T-Mobile's first entry into the Android space, the G1, plus the Magic and the new Hero, both of which are already distributed by overseas wireless carriers.
In a presentation at the event, Brodman foresaw a plethora of Android-based phones, netbooks, and CE devices from other manufacturers. But in comparison to other US mobile carriers now eyeing devices built on Google's Android platform, T-Mobile enjoys a "first mover advantage," he maintained.
As previously reported, Eric Lin, HTC's online community manager, told Betanews yesterday that HTC expects to deliver the Hero to the US later this year, but through a different provider than T-Mobile.
Among the four major US mobile carriers, that leaves Sprint and Verizon Wireless as the most likely candidates for the Hero, with AT&T Wireless still enmeshed in an exclusive US contract for the iPhone. Sprint, however, recently rolled out the Palm Pre, another competing smartphone.
Yet T-Mobile, at least, seems to see no problem with supporting smartphones built on rival platforms. "We will also continue to sell Windows Mobile phones, of course," Brodman said during the interview.
With the three new Android phones eyed for 2009, T-Mobile will hone in on the consumer space, rather than the corporate market where Microsoft just so happens to focus.
But T-Mobile's devices will also support some "crossover applications," according to Brodman. As an example, he pointed to a client application for Microsoft's own Exchange mail system. T-Mobile is adding the client to the myTouch to let consumers carry out their "work e-mail" from anywhere.
Moreover, to help T-Mobile broaden its reach against Apple and other players on the consumer side, the myTouch will be "less tech-centric" than the earlier G1," and "far more intuitive," according to Brodman. The myTouch will also be "holdable," more along the lines of the feature phones that consumers are already accustomed to toting around with them.
In a presentation at the event, Brodman and Denny Marie Post, T-Mobile USA's chief marketing officer, sketched out some new customer service policies the carrier will institute to boost the comfort levels of new Android phone users. For one thing, T-Mobile will make sure that every phone is working before it leaves the company's doors, the executives vowed. But if an Android phone does turn out to be a lemon, the consumer will be able to exchange it for a replacement directly at the phone store.
T-Mobile's new emphasis on "usability" will extend across Android software. The myTouch is based on the Hero, but it contains new software applications and features devised by T-Mobile. Like HTC's Hero, the myTouch will be user-customizable. In fact, there will be "boundless possibilities as to how to personalize," according to Post.
For its part, the Hero includes a feature called "scenes," which lets users create custom content profiles for "specific functions or times in your life."
But apparently, customization of the myTouch will be simpler, since it will revolve largely around the user's choice of software applications; "backgrounds," or wallpapers; and "skins," or exterior shells. Some of the shells will come with coordinating accessories such as wrist straps and ear buds.
Brodman cited the army of developers working on Google's Android platform as another tool in T-Mobile's arsenal against the iPod. With the launch of the myTouch, T-Mobile announced Sherpa as one new application that will soon land on Google's online Android Market.
With the "search-less search" application from third-party developer Geodelic, consumers won't even need to type anything into the search bar if they want to scope out the local area for restaurants and other points of interest (although a search bar is there as an option).
Users will be able to view the places pinpointed by Sherpa (and the new phone's GPS mechanism) in a choice of three ways: Google maps, a list, and a graphical "carousel," said representatives of Geodelic at a product showcase during the event. Sherpa is designed to not only know where you are, but to learn your preferences. The app also provides restaurant reviews and other linked information.
Also at the showcase, T-Mobile reps displayed the apps, backgrounds and skins that might be chosen by different categories of end users, such as athletes, musicians, and "news hounds," for instance.
To help undecided new Android users determine which apps they want to download from the Android Market, the myTouch will include a new recommendation engine dubbed the App Pack.
T-Mobile started taking pre-orders yesterday from existing customers for the myTouch, a phone priced at $199.99 with a two-year contract. The pre-ordered phones are slated to ship in late July.
To support its new competitive strategy for Android phones, T-Mobile is now devising a new ad campaign, Post said. The new ads will start in August, and the myTouch is scheduled to enter general availability that same month.
Features of T-Mobile's new Android phone include a 3.2-inch HVGA touch-screen display with enhanced video capabilities and a virtual keyboard; a 3.2-megapixel camera; a music player with a pre-installed 4 GB microSD memory card; built-in wireless communications through Wi-Fi and T-Mobile's 3G network; a Microsoft Exchange client; GoogleTalk, MMS, and Microsoft LiveTalk messaging; and one-click access to a number of different online apps, including Google Maps, YouTube, Picasa, and Yahoo.
It's called......Get better, newer handsets ! You want to get more marketshare ? Stop hanging on to yesterday's European models, and start bringing models in their first run to the US, just like Apple, Palm and RIM. They need to stop thinking of themselves as just the "cheapest alternative", and decide to be a REAL alternative. I'm tired of having to buy unlocked handsets from other carriers just to get newer features.
You want to really make a dent in the U.S. market, Mr. Brodman ? Then actually blow up your 3G network, pull all the stops. Get a phone at a price that will make people pay attention. The G1 was a good start, but everyone knows that that sort of momentum has a half-life of 9 months ( Why else have their been 3 refreshes of the iPhone in 2 years since it's introduction ? DUH ! ). The "G2" should've been introduced here by March. Denying the Hero from the US market is a bonehead move. Everyone with half an inkling of hardware engineering knows it's NOT THAT HARD to swap out radio components and plug in a 1700Mhz compatible radio chipset instead.
The Touch Pro 2, for instance, by the time it hits our shores, it'll be 9 months behind it's release elsewhere in the world. Are you kidding ?!? This is what they mean by wanting to combat the iPhone ? If TMO USA doesn't get in gear, it will always be the "other" carrier.
Get a first release of a SIGNATURE phone ( i.e. Palm Pre GSM wouldn't be a stretch ). Get releases of HTC ( both Android and WinMo ) models out on par with releases with other areas. The old myth that "Oh the world is a bigger market, that's why they roll them out elsewhere" is bunk. Just look at how often AT&T releases new models. What ? AT&T can do it, but TMo can't ? Please, save the market-speak, and just get it done.
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|Still not a decent android phone in the bunch that has a physical keyboard without that stupid "Jay Leno" chin....
Use the enV Touch form factor and throw Android/HTC Sense on it. Bang-o, you've sold a phone.
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|No manner of Android phone will be able to combat Apple's hold on the market with the Iphone, because the reality of it is that at the end of the day, many of the people who own an Iphone don't own it for necessarily what it can or can't do - they own it because it's in, and it's cool. It was/is that way with the Ipod, and it is that way with the Iphone. Not to say these devices didn't get there on merit - they're great devices. But there have been phones and mp3 players that have outmatched them function-wise and still just can't penetrate their market spheres, be it because of their itunes/app store or otherwise.
It's a glimpse into how society is too....cool looking and 'just' out of reach of everyone's range (affordability) and practically everyone wants it. It becomes the hottest gift and most sought after item.
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Does this actually have anything to do with my comment, or did you hit the reply button by accident?
I said *nothing* about the iPhone...
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|To put a bigger dent in Apple's growing command of the US mobile phone market, T-Mobile USA will start to use weapons ranging from hardware diversity to "usability," improved customer service, and new software applications, according to Cole Brodman, CTO for the mobile carrier.
Maybe if T-Mobile wasn't always so far behind the other carriers in terms of network technology, it wouldn't be such an uphill battle for them to "dent" Apple's increasing lead. I was beta testing T-Mobile's 3G offering at the same time that Sprint started rolling out their 4G network in selected cities! They can't be an entire generation behind and expect to compete.
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|Indeed. Last time I considered them, they seemed to only have coverage near a highway and then, they bought the old Cingular network when they bought AT&T's network. They're always at least one step behind the rest.
They could sell the iPhone in its original form at this point, since they have little to offer for the latest models. Even if Apple wanted to move to T-Mobile, it would be a step backwards.
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|T-mobile yes behind is catching up every month they are launching new 3G coverage in different cities throughout the US. T-mobile was late in the game in licensing spectrum and had to wait for the US government to stop using their spectrum they purchased for the use of 3G. Now as far as 4G companies still haven't yet to take full advantage of their 3G networks. T-Mobile has spent allot in recent months in expanding coverage especially with unicel being purchased by verizion. I am glad t-mobile does not have the iphone. The iphones remind me of the motorola razr. Everyone wanted one now look at the motorola razr now
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