Telecommunications equipment maker Huawei is best known for its big infrastructure products. Its switches are at the centre of 2degrees' mobile network, and Vodafone's “Red network” connecting its unbundled exchanges.But the Chinese tech giant
Telecommunications equipment maker Huawei is best known for its big infrastructure products. Its switches are at the centre of 2degrees’ mobile network, and Vodafone’s “Red network” connecting its unbundled exchanges.
But the Chinese tech giant makes handsets too, and has just unveiled a new, low-cost model that runs on Google’s Android operating system.
The first wave of Android phones in New Zealand have mostly come with a $999 price tag, off contract (like Samsung’s Galaxy S i9000, just announced for Vodafone).
But value-priced Androids have been one of the key reasons that Google’s platform has come to dominate in the US.
Could the same happen here?
Huawei hopes so.
Spokesman Luke Coleman said Huawei is currently in talks with New Zealand mobile operators, whom it hopes will sell its new Android, the IDEOS, for between $US100 ($NZ138) and $US200.
That's the kind of price that would put Android - and smartphones in general - within reach of the mass market.
A spokeswoman for Telecom said the company wouldn't discuss its future line-up. Vodafone had no immediate comment.
NBR keenly awaits a response from 2degrees, which already features a Huawei 3G USB stick and Huawei wi-fi router (allowing multiple cellphones to share one connection) in its line-up.
The IDEOS’ tech specs:
- Android 2.2 Froyo Operating System, with access to Android’s library of 80,000+ apps
- Embedded 3G to Wi-Fi modem/router – share your 3G connection with up to 8 devices at once
- Dual 7.2Mbps 3G and Wi-Fi 802.11n connectivity
- Google Maps Navigation with in-built A-GPS, Google Voice Search
- 2.8” QVGA (320x240) TFT Capacitive Touch screen, plus 5 way navigation pad
- 3.2-megapixel camera with dual-LED flash
- Smart sensors – ambient light sensor automatically adjusts screen brightness for longer battery life, accelerometer to automatically adjust screen layout, proximity sensor and compass
- Supports SD cards of up to 16GB
- MicroUSB port
