First Google Android handset due before year’s end

Google Android will be making its debut for the holiday season according to reports, with its first phone created by HTC and offered by T-Mobile. The new phone will have a touch screen, larger slide-based keyboard, and support an unknown number of Android applications from developers in the Open Handset Alliance program.

Android is the strongest of the open handset systems in our view; we have joined the programs and examined the material. There are other handset players and providers looking at announcements as well, but we do not believe that any more than one additional player has any chance of making an announcement by year-end.

We hear that HTC/T-Mobile will actually be ready likely in October but may delay a bit to insure pre-publicity is strong and that others don’t have time to capitalize on any holiday marketing successes.