According to the::unwired information, the
recently previewed T-Mobile
compact III (also known as HTC Artemis) will definitely lack W-LAN support,
even if the original HTC reference design of the HTC Artemis has W-LAN b and g
onboard.
Yesterday I've spoken with some folks and they've confirmed what we have already
seen during T-Mobile's MDA compact III presentation at the IFA.
It's not clear yet, why T-Mobile decided to leave W-LAN (maybe in favor of
reduced battery drain, price or weight) but it's definitely a bad decision, if
it turns out to be seriously true.
In Germany, T-Mobile operates (together with T-Com)
the largest public HotSpot W-LAN network, virtually available everywhere and
T-Mobile web'n'walk tariffs even includes a limited amount of free W-LAN use at
these HotSpots. So cutting off the W-LAN functionality is cutting off the full
benefit, a user can get with a web'n'walk plan.
Now we have to wait which
other operators will also carry the HTC Artemis and how these carriers will deal
with W-LAN.
Cheers ~ Arne