• October 21, 2008

Motorola is planning to release its own Android-powered phone built around social networking in the second quarter of 2009, according to a BusinessWeek article.

Details of Motorola's plans are surfacing just as before T-Mobile is getting set to roll out its G1 handset, the first phone developed with Google's Android operating system. The Motorola phone would have a touchscreen, with a similar look and feel to the iPhone 3G, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard (like the G1), and a host of social networking features.

Motorola has been tight-lipped about providing further details. In a statement, the company said: "We're excited about the innovation possibilities on Android and look forward to delivering great products in partnership with Google," as well as other members of the Open Handset Alliance formed by the search giant last year.--Mark Walsh