T-Mobile isn’t in short supply of entry-level Android phones on the cheap and will soon offer up yet another option for customers on a budget. The HTC Wildfire S was announced today for the carrier and can be yours on August 3rd for $80 on a new contract.
While the Wildfire S definitely isn’t the phone to switch carriers for, it does provide another option for those looking for a smartphone but don’t want to shell out the big bucks. Magenta already carries a handful of budget Android devices but the Wildfire may well be the sexiest entry-level handset available for the carrier.
The Wildfire S features a 3.2 inch HVGA display, 600MHz processor, and 5 megapixel camera, the Wildfire S has similar specs to the HTC Aria on AT&T. The biggest differences between the two handsets (besides design and carrier) is that the Wildfire ships with more RAM (512MB vs 384MB) and has Android 2.3 Gingerbread pre-installed.
You now how the choice of grabbing the T-Mobile Comet, Optimus T, Samsung Dart, Gravity Smart, and Exhibit 4G. While the Wildfire S may be the sexiest of the bunch, we’d still go for the Exhibit 4G, as it ships with a faster processor, slightly larger, higher resolution display, front-facing camera, and HSPA+ support for the same price.
The Wildfire S also comes with a pesky mail-in rebate that T-Mobile loves to shell out, so you’ll have to shell out $130 the day you grab the handset. Still, if you’re looking for a HTC Sense-toting entry-level Android phone on T-Mobile, the Wildfire S is the phone for you.
T-Mobile stores will be offering the Wildfire S in white, but a black version of the handset will be made available at Walmart, Sam’s Club, and T-Mobile.com
Press release after the break.