T-Mobile may already have plans for a third Android phone if recent photos leaked from CodeAndroid are real. The pictures are of the HTC Hero which we’ve seen before, but apparently this handset will be rebranded the T-Mobile G3 for a US launch sometime in the future.
Interestingly, Android devices seem to be getting smaller and more minimalist as they continue to appear. The G1 has a trackball and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, while the HTC Magic or MyTouch 3G scrapsthe keyboard for soft keys but keep the trackball. The HTC Hero appears to leave out both, relying entirely on the touchscreen for navigation. It does have the chin at the bottom ubiquitous to Android phones we’ve seen so far, but thankfully it also appears to have a 3.5 millimeter audio jack. The lack of a built-in jack on the G1 has been a sore point for users since the phone shipped last fall.
The HTC Hero or G3 is reportedly shipping this fall, but another leaked Android roadmap points to a Magic release in the US this summer. It’s unlikely the two phones would be released so close together. But it’s all rumor and innuendo. I’d place my bet on the phones and hardware being real, but I wouldn’t put any money down on dates.
