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Google's 'GPhone' Delayed Until 2009

Before you get all bent out of shape, it's worth pointing out that the GPhone and Android (Google's Linux-based smartphone operating system) are two entirely separate things. Was anyone waiting for the actual GPhone, anyway?

Prior to Google's big announcement about Android and the Open Handset Alliance, many believed that Google was hard at work developing an actual Google Phone, or GPhone. The phone was supposed to be a serious competitor with Apple's iPhone. Those beliefs were pretty much dashed when Android and the OHA came to light. Rumors persisted here and there, but for the most part, people began to believe that known hardware manufacturers, such as HTC, were the ones building official Android-powered "GPhones".

In fact, just last week Google engineer Steve Horowitz declared at Google's I/O conference that there will be no GPhone.

So why, then, is TheStreet reporting that the GPhone is delayed until 2009? TheStreet's Gary Krakow reports, "Despite a lot of advanced hype, the soon-to-be rescuer of the smartphone industry may not be able to join the fray until sometime in 2009. According to a source familiar with the situation, although a large number of people are hard at work on the Gphone and the open-source operating system/platform for mobile devices (Android), the actual Gphone will not be ready for release this year... The source would not speculate on the possibility that other devices that might run on variants of Android would be ready in time for the Christmas shopping season, nor would the source elaborate on exact reasons for the delay or a possible release date for the Gphone or various Android variants."

Um. OK. After a Google staffer goes out of his way to publicly state that the GPhone doesn't exist, it is sort of weird for someone to tell a reporter that it won't be available until next year.

Another curiosity is that the source wouldn't discuss the possibility of other handsets running on "variants" of Android. HTC has committed to release one or two Android-powered handsets this year, and has even named one of them the Dream Phone. I have to wonder about how familiar this source really is with Google's plans.

Personally, I won't be waiting until 2009 to pick up an Android-powered phone. I'll be first in line to buy HTC's Dream Phone when it becomes available.

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