Reports indicating a delay in HTC’s first phone utilizing Google’s Android platform are “inaccurate,” a representative from Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, the public relations firm that handles HTC, has informed us.
The representative goes on to specifically say that the first Android-based HTC phone is still set to launch “later this year.”
HTC was said to be having “structural problems to incorporate Google’s demanded feature set,” Barron’s reported Trip Chowdhry of Global Equities Research as saying. Based on this information and other checks he did, this led Chowdhry to believe that Android-based handsets set to be released this year could be pushed to early next year.
When asked for comment about possible Android delays, Google had the following to say:
“We remain on schedule to deliver the first Android-based handset this year and we’re very excited to see the momentum continuing to build behind the Android platform among carriers, handset manufacturers, developers and consumers.”
HTC would not confirm the legitimacy of the video posted earlier that supposedly shows the HTC Dream device running the Android operating system. There is some speculation that the video may have been leaked by someone within HTC to offset the rumors of the device delay.
[The image above is reportedly what the HTC Dream will look like.]
10:52 pm
A glimpse of the HTC Dream running Google Android? » VentureBeat said:
[...] “inaccurate,” but was unable to comment on the legitimacy of the video above. More info here. Tags: co:google, co:HTC SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: “A glimpse of the HTC Dream running [...]
10:54 pm
First Android phones pushed to 2009? » VentureBeat said:
[...] Update: Representatives for both Google and HTC have now responded. HTC indicates the Barron’s report is inaccurate, while Google maintains the first Android phones will launch in 2008. More info here. [...]
1:56 pm
Google’s Schmidt talks stocks, huge mobile opportunity, scandals, advertising and YouTube with Jim Cramer » VentureBeat said:
[...] Finally, Schmidt wouldn’t pinpoint exactly when the first mobile phones running Google’s Android software will be out but did promise it would be “between now and the end of the year.” There had been talk of delays, but both Google and one of the phone makers, HTC, have committed to shipping a phone this year. [...]