Vodafone Unveils Own-Brand Android Phone

Vodafone has announced plans to launch its first own-brand smartphone based on Google’s Android operating system – to be known as the Vodafone 845,.

The device has a 2.8-inch screen and offers Wi-Fi connectivity, a 3 megapixel camera and 500MB of built-in memory. It also provides access to the Android app store and, where available, Vodafone 360 – a suite of services that gathers all of a user’s friends, communities, entertainment and media in one place.

Vodafone’s new portfolio of handsets

Vodafone 845 is just one of eight new handsets announced today, ranging from low cost handsets with integrated solar chargers and qwerty keyboards aimed at the emerging markets, to mobile devices running Opera Mini for optimised Internet browsing.

“Our aim is to offer our customers the best choice of compelling mobiles as well as the best-in-class experience of new services over Vodafone’s reliable network,” said Patrick Chomet, Vodafone’s group director of terminals. “In February we launched the world’s cheapest handset. Today we are again breaking new ground.

“I’m proud to be announcing the ‘845’, Vodafone’s first own branded Android smartphone. It runs the very latest Android ‘Eclair’ software and shows our commitment and ability to take high-end trends and make them an affordable option for many,” he added.

Nexus One on Vodafone UK

Earlier this week, Vodafone finally launched the Nexus One – Google’s own-brand Android phone – on its network, announcing that handsets will be delivered to customers from Friday 30 April. At the time Vodafone would not disclose pre-order figures for the device, but reports today suggest that stocks have already run dry.

In the United States, some users have criticised the Nexus One’s apparent difficulty in picking up a 3G signal. In February, in response to user complaints, Google said it was adding a multitouch mechanism and a software fix to improve 3G connectivity.

While Google has set the Nexus One up as an iPhone killer, mobile analytics firm Flurry said in March that Google had sold only 135,000 units during its first 74 days on the US market. This is a poor result compared to to the more than 1 million units of its first generation iPhone that Apple sold during the same time.

Earlier this year Vodafone claimed to have sold 100,000 iPhone handsets in its first week on the UK market.