When Google introduced the first Android-based smartphone back in October, early adopters were a little disappointed by the fact that the new G1 was SIM-locked to T-Mobile’s network. It seemed like Google wasn’t making good on its promise of an open mobile operating system. Well that changed quietly this weekend when Google launched what it calls the Android Dev Phone 1, a SIM-unlocked and hardware-unlocked version of the Android phone aimed squarely at developers.
Google’s Android team says the phone ships with an Android 1.0-compatible system image that developers can use to develop and test new applications. And unlike retail phones, the bootloader in the Dev 1 does not enforce signed system images. Only developers who have registered on the Android Market site are eligible to purchase the devices, and Google says the list price is $399, including free shipping.
Google seems to tiptoe around T-Mobile throughout the whole announcement, emphasizing that is for only those developers “outside the T-Mobile geographies,” and finishing up with this warning:
Since the devices can be configured with system software not provided by or supported by Google or any other company, end users operate these devices at their own risk.
Well, at least developers get a shot at some mobile phone openness anyway. Are you a developer testing out the new Dev 1? Let us know what you think.
