Google phone to debut this week

A mobile telephone tailored to run on Google's Android software is to debut next week in New York City.

US telecom carrier T-Mobile is slated to unveil a "Google phone" built by Taiwanese firm HTC on Tuesday and to have the device for sale in US stores as early as October.

Google is hoping Android will become the dominant operating system for mobile phones. It is designed to improve the speed and quality of using the Internet on handsets.

Android is being developed as an "open source" platform, meaning anyone is free to use the technology to make mobile telephones compatible with the networks of multiple carriers.

Google announced Android plans late last year and analysts reacted by saying it could potentially transform the mobile telephone market by providing service supported by advertising instead of subscription fees.

"We are seeing a number of technology companies demonstrating how Android will operate on their technology," Google spokesman Barry Schnitt told AFP at a Mobile World Congress gathering in Spain early this year.

"Clearly momentum is building."

Google announced a 34-member group called the "Open Handset Alliance" in November of 2007 to develop Android, including China Mobile, HTC, Intel, Motorola, Qualcomm, T-Mobile, Telefonica, LG and eBay.

ARM, Marvell, Texas Instruments, Qualcomm, NEC, ST Microelectronics were reportedly among companies that demonstrated Android phone prototypes at Mobile World Congress.