TechFaith Wireless and Qigi Future Technology announced a smartphone that runs the Google Android mobile Linux stack. The i6-Goal is only the second Android phone to launch, and reportedly includes a 2.8-inch touchscreen, quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, and a two-megapixel camera.

(Click here for a larger view of the Qigi i6)

The two Chinese firms will target the i6-Goal, as well as a separate Windows Mobile 6.1 version, called the i6-Win, at the China market. The companies have signed sales agreements “with a few well-known mobile phone distributors in China,” says Qigi. TechFaith, an established manufacturer of Windows Mobile devices, announced an agreement with Qigi in October, under the terms of which it will become the “exclusive supplier” of phones to the latter company. Qigi, in turn, describes itself as “focused on Windows smartphones,” making today's announcement of an Android variant something of a surprise.

Instead of offering a dual-boot approach, the i6 comes in separate models. According to information posted on the website of Taiwan retailer ePrice, the two models differ only with respect to their operating system ROMs.

The i6-Goal is only the second Android device to be formally announced, after the HTC G1, which shipped last month for T-Mobile customers. In addition, Motorola has stated that it plans to ship an Android phone next year, while Koolu has promised an OpenMoko Android port.

Qigi's i6-Goal

The i6 is reportedly based on Marvell's 624MHz PXA310 processor, with GPS capabilities being added via the SiRF starIII chipset. Connectivity includes quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, WiFi, and Bluetooth 2.0, according to ePrice.

The i6 includes a two megapixel camera, 2.8-inch touchscreen display with 320 x 240 resolution, a five-way controller, and four dedicated calling keys. It has 128MB of RAM, 256MB of flash storage, and a microSD slot that accepts up to 4GB of RAM, says ePrice.

The phone is said to offer 220 hours of standby, or from 150 to 240 minutes of talk time, on a battery charge. The device reportedly measures 4.3 x 2.3 x 0.58 inches (109 x 58 x 14.9mm).

Features and specifications listed for the i6 by TechFaith or ePrice include:

• Processor — Marvell PXA310 clocked at 624MHz
  
• Memory — 128MB of RAM and 256MB of flash storage
  
• Display — 2.8-inch touchscreen display with 320 x 240 resolution
  
• Camera — 2 megapixel
  
• Wireless interfaces:
  • WAN — Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE (frequencies not specified)
    
  • LAN — WiFi
    
  • PAN — Bluetooth 2.0
    
  • GPS

  Other I/O: USB
  

• Expansion — microSD slot
  
• Battery life:
  • Standby — 220 hours
    
  • Talk time — 150 to 240 minutes

• Dimensions — 4.3 x 2.3 x 0.58 inches (109 x 58 x 14.9mm)
  
• Weight — n/a

Stated Defu Dong, chairman and CEO of TechFaith, “We are proud to launch the first Android-powered mobile phone in China. The i6-Goal is a great example of the success of our strategic alliance with Qigi and its ability to quickly launch products onto the market.”

Availability

Pricing and availability for the i6-Goal and i6-Win were not released. However, the i6-Goal will be “shipping soon,” according to Qigi. For further information on the phones, see the ePrice product page, here.

 
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