G1 in India? Only by 2nd Half of 2009

G1 in India? Only by 2nd Half of 2009

Pankhuri Bajaj, Oct 23, 2008 1742 hrs IST

HTC breaks our open-source hearts, G1 to be here in 2009

So here's the setup: an HTC event post the G1 launch. We were hoping, like any hot-blooded geek would, that HTC might at least dangle its Android phone for the Indian junta. Instead, they introduced the CDMA version of HTC Touch Diamond. Oh well...

Disappointed, we did the next best thing: We asked Ajay Sharma, country head, HTC (India) when we can expect the G1 in India. Intent to further break our heart, his retort was, "don't expect the G1 in the Indian market anytime soon. Earlier I said we could bring it to India by December or January, but it's going to take longer."

We weren't going to let him get away that easy, so we pressed him for details to which he said, "you would definitely see the G1 making its entry in India in 2009; some time around second half of 2009 ."

Sigh.

The G1, the first Android-based phone manufactured by HTC, is a T-mobile device. Sharma said that the companies are still working out on how to take the device forward to the other markets.

HTC considers that their basic growth in the Indian markets is essentially going to happen through its Windows Mobile-based devices. The new Google platform is only going to complement their current platform. So, we should expect to see a bunch of other HTC devices making way into the Indian subcontinent, while we wait for the G1 to make its grand entry here.