Mobile phone manufacturer Motorola will launch several handsets based on Google’s Android operating system in Australia on April 9, exclusive to Optus.

The handsets — the DEXT (pictured) and the BACKFLIP — have the ability to tie customers’ data from various social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Gmail, work and personal email through a Motorola software package dubbed MOTOBLUR.

Optus has released two new mobile plans as part of the launch. Dubbed ‘yes’ Social and ‘yes’ Business Complete plans, they provide unlimited access to MOTOBLUR, as well as sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube.

“With more people connecting, communicating and sharing content online, there has been an explosion in the popularity of social networking websites … this popularity has now been transferred to the mobile phone, with smarter devices making social networking more accessible,” said Michael Smith, the managing director of Optus’s Consumer division.

The DEXT is available for $0 upfront from Optus on the ‘yes’ Social $49 plan over 24 months, while the BACKFLIP is available for $0 Upfront on the ;yes’ Social $59 plan over 24 months. Both have a five megapixel camera and run version 1.5 of Android — although the operating system is already up to version 2.

The news comes as carriers are increasingly launching Android-based smartphones into the Australian market to compete with rival offerings such as Apple’s iPhone. Telstra will in April start selling its first Android phone, in an exclusive three month deal to bring HTC’s newly launched Desire to its Next G network.

Image credit: Motorola

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1. Douglas
   Posted 30/03/2010 at 7:00 pm | Permalink | Reply

   No Milestone… more’s the pity. Looks like I’ll be buying an imported one, looks like a nice phone.

   • Renai LeMay
     Posted 31/03/2010 at 12:16 am | Permalink | Reply

     It is a bit surprising that they’re not bringing the Milestone down under, Douglas — maybe with another carrier? Or maybe Australia is getting the scraps as per usual ;)

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