Motorola readies Android phone

Just days before T-Mobile officially starts offering the G1 smartphone from HTC, Motorola has been doing the rounds with mobile operators showing them spec sheets and images of a new Android-based handset, which it may be releasing in the second quarter of 2009.

The company isn’t saying much about the handset, but it is reported to be a ‘social smartphone’, with integrated mobile-networking features for sites that may include Facebook and MySpace. The yet-to-be-named Android device is also expected to feature an iPhone-like touch screen and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Overall, the Motorola Android smartphone is expected to be a higher-end version of the G1 but priced in the $150 range. So while the T-Mobile G1 by HTC will hit the market first, Motorola’s debut in the Android market is expected to be much fancier.