Sprint announced the push-to-talk Motorola i1 for $149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate, available July 25th. The ruggedized i1 featured a 5-megapixel camera, a 3.1-inch HVGA screen, and a solid lineup of preloaded business applications. The downside: it shipped with Android 1.5, with no update timeline announced. On the other hand, it was the most advanced smartphone Nextel customers had seen, and the target demographic was unlikely to be primarily concerned with apps and games.
Preloaded business applications included Xora Time Track for mobile workforce management with real-time field visibility and payroll automation; TeleNavTrack for workforce and asset management with wireless barcode scanning and mobile invoicing; and Sprint Mobile Locator for web-based worker tracking with near-real-time GPS mapping.
The i1 was available first through direct sales channels on July 25th for $149.99 after rebate with a new line or eligible upgrade and a two-year agreement. Broader retail availability followed on August 8th.
