Jackie Zhang, marketing director at Dopod has confirmed that they are planning to launch at least three phones in the Chinese market. The phones will include Hero, Click, Magic and mostly a TD-SCDMA enabled unnamed phone.
Hero will make its way out first and could be shipped as early as this month, provided the approval by regulatory authorities. The Chinese variant of Hero will feature a Wi-Fi security protocol, no pre-installed Google Maps application and a possible Chinese red color for the phone. The phone will sell for 5,600 yuan ($819).
Click will be a cheap Android offering costing around 3,000 yuan ($439) that will come with two changeable front covers. Both, Hero and Click will work on China Unicom.
The unnamed Android device based on China’s own 3G standard is expected to be released in Q4 2009 or Q1 2010 on China Mobile. It’s not clear if the aforementioned device will have Google’s stock Android OS or China Mobile’s customized Android that includes carrier specific applications. HTC also plans to release Magic with China Mobile’s OS.
[Via PC World]
What is the reason for these big Western cellphone manufacturing companies to find it difficult to compete with features of Chinese Phones? I have a very nice stable phone from Sakhumzantsi and wish I could get a 3G phone with similar features.