Motorola Confirms Several Android Smartphones Coming Later This Year

by Sam Dean - May. 01, 2009Comments (2)

We've reported before on Motorola's interest in delivering phones based on the Android operating system. In October, the company was planning to deliver a new Android phone by the second quarter of this year, a deadline it apparently won't make. However, as InfoWorld reports, Motorola is aiming to deliver several Android-based smartphones in time for the holiday season. The company will launch the phones with multiple carriers in several areas around the world, according to chief of Motorola's mobile device division. Isn't it time for Motorola to pick a smartphone platform to concentrate on, though?

InfoWorld reports that Sanjay Jha, co-CEO of Motorola as well as CEO of the mobile devices unit, said this during a Thursday earnings call:

 

"We are in detailed discussions with multiple carriers around the world about a few of our Android smartphones that we plan to deliver in fourth quarter, and we'll deliver meaningful products in the fourth quarter."

 

According to the report, Jha feels positive about the "more than 3,000 applications" now available for Android, and Motorola will concentrate on integrating messaging and social networking in its Android phones. Undoubtedly, Motorola's development will go on around version 1.5 of Android, which is currently in the hands of developers, and even being pushed to T-Mobile G1 users in the U.K. and U.S., as Phandroid and G1 owners in the comments are reporting.

In October, writing about Motorola's Android phone plans, GigaOm said this:

 

"The company needs to rationalize its vast array of devices that use an equally confusing number of operating systems. In addition to Android, Motorola has two different Linux efforts — its internal version and LiMo-based Linux devices — as well as Motorola’s proprietary operating system, Qualcomm’s Brew and Microsoft’s Windows Mobile."

Indeed, it is time for Motorola to pick a platform to bet on. Jha has been critical of Windows Mobile in the past, and it may be time for the company to limit its commitment to that platform. Likewise, Android phones are showing much more innovation potential than LiMo phones, so it might be best for Motorola to focus its Linux-based phone efforts on Android alone.

Android now has 6 percent of the U.S. smartphone operating system market, which is absolutely nothing to shake a stick at, given the fact that one handset--the T-Mobile G1--has driven most of that.  



Stacey Schneider uses OStatic to support Open Source, ask and answer questions and stay informed. What about you?



2 Comments
 

I had no idea they had 3k+ applications out for Android already! iPhone has so much buzz right now, there is really very little visibility that Android is getting in the consumer market...


0 Votes

Hi,

Well the sound system which is in Motorola mobile phone is very good and through this we can also insert other fast sound.


0 Votes
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