Motorola To Shed Light On Google Android Plans Sept. 10
Not surprisingly, a good deal of information surrounding Motorola's newfound focus on Google Android has already leaked, prompting the rumor mill to latch onto a few key products that could see the light of day when Motorola takes the stage Sept. 10 to stump for Android.
First there's the thought that Motorola will unveil its first two Google Android smartphones, the struggling smartphone maker's first two devices based on the open-source operating system. The two devices, believed to be the Motorola Sholes and the Motorola Morrison, are expected to hit the streets later this year, in time for the ever-important holiday smartphone buying season.
The Motorola Morrison is expected to launch with T-Mobile in late October, while a recently leaked Verizon Wireless mobile device road map shows that the Motorola Sholes will reach Verizon's network in late October.
Neither Motorola nor Google Android have offered any specifics regarding what they will reveal come Sept. 10 in San Francisco. Schaumburg, Ill.-based Motorola could throw a curveball and release something different altogether, but that's highly unlikely.
Motorola's new allegiance to Google Android comes as the once-dominant handheld manufacturer has been plagued with slumping device sales and massive revenue dips. Motorola's proprietary devices have been outsold and outperformed by a host of new smartphones like the BlackBerry line from Research In Motion (RIM), the Apple iPhone and devices from rivals like Nokia.
The Sept. 10 event could also be a call to arms for Android developers from Motorola, which has had an Android-targeted section on its developer Web site for a while but no devices for Android developers to develop to.