Say Goodbye to the T-Mobile G2

The T-Mobile G2 has been discontinued. This move came unusually quickly, as this Android-based smartphone debuted less than nine months ago, while handsets are almost always on the market for at least a year.

It's not known exactly why this model reached the end of its product lifespan so quickly, but it's apparently gone already. An unconfirmed report indicates that it was discontinued on June 6, and the G2 is no longer listed on T-Mobile's own website.

Speculation on the Web points to various problems as being the root cause for this device's quick EOL. Much of this centers around the Z-Hinge, which  many think is too fragile, but others point to software problems with this smartphone's location services. Another possibility is the imminent release of the T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide, which will have a similar design but more advanced features.

T-Mobile G2 Overview
This handset has a 3.7-inch, WVGA touchscreen, an optical touchpad, and landscape-oriented keyboard. Rather than sliding, the keyboard swivels out on the "Z Hinge".

The G2 runs Android OS 2.2, but an upgrade to OS 2.3 is expected soon. As an Android OS-based smartphone that is suitable for either business or personal use, it comes with an array of communication, productivity, and entertainment software. 

This was one of the first handsets to support T-Mobile HSPA+ service, which means it is able to wirelessly transfer data fast enough to rival competitor's 4G networks.