Updated: Will People Line Up For The T-Mobile G1?

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Updated: Will People Line Up For The T-Mobile G1?

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UPDATE: A Google (NSDQ: GOOG) spokesperson told me today that the Android Market that reporters had been experiencing with their demo phones is an early version and therefore it’s changing as it gets ready to officially launch. “We need to be sure that a few of the 3rd party apps are final for consumer use in the Android Market when the T-Mobile G1 officially launches tomorrow, October 22nd. We’re replacing the preview applications with final versions. After October 22nd, developers will be managing their own applications.”

Original post: When I got home today, a little package wrapped up in a white bubble-wrap envelope was waiting for me, holding inside my own T-Mobile G1. As a current T-Mobile USA customer, I was able to pre-order the device when it was unveiled late last month. Since then, T-Mobile said it has sold triple the number of phones to its current customer base than it had originally anticipated. The G1 pre-orders weren’t supposed to be available until Wednesday, when the phones go on sale, but apparently they are running ahead of schedule. It’s hard to say how much excitement is mounting for the device’s launch in two days. A T-Mobile spokesman said he was anticipating some lines forming when the device becomes available. But it’s worth noting that the devices are only available for sale in stores where T-Mobile has a 3G network. In non-3G markets, customers can order the devices in the stores and have them shipped to their homes, or they can be ordered online.

More after the jump...

Clearly, T-Mobile is trying to drum up some excitement. Tomorrow, the carrier, along with Google, is hosting a special in-store sale in San Francisco at 6 p.m., 11 hours before the phone will be officially available. The event will take place at the 3rd and Market store, where a limited supply will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. For those willing to wait, retail stores will open early on Wednesday at 8 a.m. to begin selling phones.

Since receiving a demo phone almost two weeks ago, there’s already been some changes. As others are noticing, there’s a different mix of applications in the Android Market. For instance, yesterday, I was able to download Glu (NSDQ: GLUU) Mobile’s Bonsai Blast. This afternoon it wasn’t available, and tonight it’s back. Another app that isn’t here tonight is the bar code scanner, which provided product information when you use the camera to scan a bar code. However, there’s new applications, too, like social networks MySpace Mobile and Buzzd. Google received some heat when they said it may remotely remove an application from a user’s phone (although others the decision, saying the kill switch was justified because there’s few restrictions on the storefront.

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By Tricia Duryee