Android-based Phones Delayed

Folks who’ve been eagerly anticipating getting their hands on a phone built on Google’s Android mobile platform will have to wait a little longer.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the handsets that were expected to start hitting the market early in the second half won’t be making an appearance until the fourth quarter. And that reported delay might not even be enough for some operators and application developers working on Android support, people “familiar with the situation” told the Journal.

As large as Google is, apparently there aren’t enough resources to go around. One example noted in the story alleges that Google is spending so much time and resources working with T-Mobile USA to get an Android phone to market that it’s neglecting other carriers, including Sprint Nextel and China Mobile, both of whom had hoped to launch Android-based handsets this year as well.

Google announced the Android open software platform in November with the support of more than 30 partners in various areas of the mobile industry.

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