Google unlocks G1 handset for developers
For a price, mind
Google has started selling unlocked G1 Android handsets to application developers, in an effort to ramp up submissions to its Android Market store.
The phone is now known as the Android Dev Phone 1, which can be used on any operator, not just T-Mobile.
Developers have to pay the $25 Android registration fee, and can then buy the Dev Phone for $399.
"We've worked with our partners to create a program for developers to purchase devices that enable them to test and debug applications more easily," says Google's announcement.
It's no surprise that the G1 can be unlocked – in fact, its manufacturer, HTC, was sending unlocked G1s to reviewers in the UK so they could test it without needing a T-Mobile SIM.
Although it should help boost the number of apps on Android Market, the bigger bump will come when Google allows developers to charge for their applications early next year.
