Google's sticky attitude on Android might cause launch date delayed

The second most awaited mobile phone after iPhone 3G; is none other than the Gphone, or known in its official name as Android.

Everybody have high hopes on the upcoming Android-based phone, with all of the sneak preview on the screenshots & those video demos; we all are expecting that Android is the real "iPhone-killer".

But the latest news surrounding on the Android platform development doesn't sound so good, as reported by PCW Business Center: Mobile phones designed around Google's Android software may not be available until the fourth quarter of this year, and some companies are struggling to even meet that deadline, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday, citing unidentified sources.

Some mobile network operators, such as Sprint Nextel, have abandoned the idea of launching an Android-based handset this year due to delays. Other operators, such as China Mobile, have delayed their planned roll-out of Android-based handsets to later this year or early next year.

The handsets aren't the only problem. Software developers are also grumbling about Android, the Journal said. Google continues to make changes to the software, making it difficult for other software developers to create programs that work with Android.

Wireless carriers have found customizing Android to promote their Internet services a problem, and some handset makers are taking longer than expected to integrate the software, test it and build custom user interfaces to meet the specifications of mobile phone carriers.

My best bet on Google's attitude on its Android platform, is effected indirectly from iPhone 3G launch next July 11th. Where Google should feel it's a safer move to let iPhone 3G launched first, after then the search giant can plan the next best steps to counter-attack all of iPhone 3G's new features.

[blogged with my Treo 750v]