Comments on: Report: HTC Android handset not coming until 2009

One of the most prominent supporters of Google's Android mobile phone software is reportedly having trouble putting a phone together and might have to delay the project.

[Philstera]

I can see the headlines now: 2009 the Year of Linux

Same old tired story same old tired failure

[acabtp]

In all honesty, this "delay" really boils down to the mobile market already being saturated prior to Android's introduction. If HTC thought that Android was going to be a serious competitor, they would have no problem getting an Android handset out the door quickly, as the hardware isn't much different from WM hardware, and the software development is just as fast or faster. Until there is viable financial reasoning for the manufacturers to go out on a limb to be "first" to capture the Android market, they won't (and shouldn't) risk it. I do hope that Android makes it. I'm even running an early version on my AT&T Tilt [aka HTC TyTN II]; it's just that they have a long uphill battle to face.

[Mr. Dee]

There are two relevant and competing mobile platforms right now: iPhone OS X and Windows Mobile. Symbian, Blackberry and now Android are going the way of irrelevancy, Android in fact is more vaporware and more proprietary than many interested developers had originally thought. Yes, it was all about the Search and expanding Google's success beyond traditional comfort zones. Microsoft has a head start, Apple has a head start and both are seeing the fruits of their labour and who knows what can happen between now and whenever in 2009 the first Android handset hits the market?

[AppleSuxLeo]

I love it...all Google`s money and they have VAPORWARE !

[yacahuma]

If is not better than the iphone, please dont bother. Unless is really, really, really cheap.

[Galaxy5]

The screenshot is interesting. Can you spot what's missing?

[Xtoo]

Windows logo.

[62Sparkplug]

Uh, something even remotely resembling or representing a PHONE?

[Shankland]

I took the photo in May. It was from a demonstration of an actual phone, not just a software simulation.

story:
http://news.cnet.com/google-shows-touchy-feely-android-phone/

photo gallery:
http://news.cnet.com/2300-1046_3-6240422-1.html

[benjaminstraight]

Too much competition right now, is all.

[limefan913]

Folks, here's a news flash. It's not vaporware. The software is available to anyone who wants it. It's called open source. I've got a test copy running on my HTC Touch in a VM. It's quite nice actually, and looks very clean. It's got a few problems, mostly interface related but it's not bad at all.

[dctechguy]

iPhone, Windows, and Symbian (remember Nokia!) are certainly well positioned and own the market. This is just more of Google posturing and publicizing more vaporware projects. When Google starts an initiative, the entire tech world quivers, yet only the search engine advertising business is significant. If Android is anything, it is a Trojan Horse (not virus) to get Google into the mobile ad/search business on their own platform. Otherwise, this is just a lot of smoke and mirrors.

And yes, where is the phone or call button on the mock-up?

[kapstaad]

Correct: the "phone" or "call" buttons aren't visible in the picture. They are, however, visible in the Android emulator, which you (and anyone else) can download as part of the SDK (hardly 'vaporware') here: http://code.google.com/android/download.html

Another interesting excercise is to search for "HTC Dream" or "Android phone" on YouTube. Those devices aren't "mockups", they are working prototypes.

[hatmon]

I for one am very much looking forward to android. I don't see myself upgrading my phone until I know whether android is any good. The prob with iphone's OS is it's only on iphone which many people disagree with on principle. Windows and blackberry are very niche, i.e. business users. Symbian has potential, it is beckoning to me but android may sparkle enough to wait from getting a symbian phone until it can be seen what will be on offer.

[Cheep_F]

Rumor said that first Android mobile - HTC Dream - will be launched in September.

[Androidal]

I think that Android powered phones will be better then iPhone, there will be more software for Google based OS.