T-Mobile G1 to offer free Gmail email with no data plan?

According to a piece posted by Fortune magazine, T-Mobile is considering offering free Google Gmail email access to users of its soon to be launched G1 Android smartphone. If the plan comes to fruition, no data plan or extra monthly fee would be required to use the Gmail client, though it is possible that Google and T-Mobile could make the “free” Gmail access ad supported, just like the desktop version of Gmail.

According to Fortune, such a plan would not come without risks to T-Mobile. T-Mobile currently charges for data access, and data access fees have been becoming an increasingly large part of T-Mobile’s quarterly revenues. But with all that said, something like this could really give the G1 the kick in the pants it will need if it is to take on Apple’s iPhone with any success.

Update: Well, the G1 launch has come and gone, and there was no word at all about free Gmail access.

(The first paragraph of this post has been modified from its original form for clarity’s sake.)

12 Responses to “T-Mobile G1 to offer free Gmail email with no data plan?”

  1. [...] have to wait and find out. But according to Android Authority, there will be ad supported Gmail available on T-Mobile’s new phone [G1 Android], even if [...]

  2. With only a few hours until the official launch of the G1 phone, its pretty exciting to see what surprises they will be announced at the New York press conference.

  3. [...] the T-Mobile G1 launch event today was the structure of data pricing for the device.  Sadly, the no-data-plan-required option didn’t pan out, and users of the G1 will be required to purchase one of two data plans.  The [...]

  4. actuall i purchased this phone without a contract im not sure if this is accurate but with 3g off i still get updates on gmail while all other sites and emails do not connect so i think this might just be accurate . hopefully the bill woint come with data charges

  5. Hmmmm, you’ll have to check back with us after your first bill to let us know if you get charged.

  6. how do you unblocked the android market? it wont let me through! it say something that i need permission!

  7. I can’t tell based on what you’ve told us. I would guess that perhaps you have no data connection, or that the software on your phone is hosed. My first thought was that you were outside of the US and UK, but you appear to be in Hawaii.

  8. I’m about to upgrade my cellphone at T-mobile and was thinking about getting the G1, Does anyone know if you have to have the data plan to get any use out of the G1? and if so, how limited would I be without the data plan?

  9. We’ll wait and see if its “free”. nothing is free in this world.

  10. No need to wait and see. The device came out many months ago, and there was no free Gmail w/o a data plan.

  11. Ineed to get gmail please

  12. I keep listening to the news speak about getting free online grant applications so I have been looking around for the best site to get one.:)

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