T-Mobile USA is adding a new flavour to their portfolio with the Google Android G1 mobile phone, but their strategy shift is still unlikely to convert many customers to the Android system.

Avi Greengart, analyst of Current Analysis, says: “T-Mobile’s line-up has been heavily tilted toward basic voice phones. While it may not necessarily need an ‘iPhone killer,’ it desperately needs an exciting touch-screen smart phone.”

Google aims to turn a profit by making Android the go-to OS on mobile phones thereby pressurising other carriers to let the Android software work more easily on other mobile handsets.

T-Mobile however seems unlikely to wrestle customers from rival carriers as most subscribers are locked into annual contracts, and the G1 only cost $20 less that the more popular Apple iPhone 3G.

Source – marketwatch