Telstra has got three new exclusive Android handsets as well as a Telstra-branded (but predictably ZTE) inexpensive keyboard phone. No Galaxy Nexus, though.
Telstra held a launch today to show off the devices that’ll spearhead its Christmas strategy. Sadly, there was no sign of the rumoured Galaxy Nexus — for now — but Android phones still predominated.
The three new Android handsets are the Motorola Defy+, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S and the LG Optimus Spirit. They’re all Gingerbread phones at slightly different price points.
The Defy+ and Optimus Spirit are pre-paid models, priced at $299 and $149 respectively. I’ve had a Defy+ for a couple of weeks testing now, and it’s a decent handset, albeit one that looks exactly like the original Defy in every single way — expect a Gizmodo Au review shortly.
As for the Optimus Spirit, the claim is that Australia is the first place that this 3.2 inch Gingerbread phone will be made available.
The Xperia Arc S isn’t a prepaid phone, sitting rather above the less expensive Android models; it’ll be available for $10 a month on a $59 Freedom Connect plan.
Telstra also announced a self-branded keyboard-ready handset, inventively called the QWERTY-TOUCH. It’s a rebranded ZTE handset with a 2.6 inch display, and an outright price of $129. I had a chance for a very brief hands-on with the QWERTY-TOUCH, and while it won’t be threatening the Blackberry’s dominance of keyboard-enabled phones any time soon, for the asking price it seemed reasonable value, especially for a Gingerbread phone.