This article originally appeared on Brighthand.com.
Android-based smartphones, though previously anticipated to be available by late 2008, will have to be delayed. Reasons for the delay are vague and many service providers
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Kate Gerwig, Editorial Director
are stating that Android-based devices might not appear until 2009, while Sprint is considering a push towards a 4G compatible OS for its impending WiMAX service.
The companies behind the Android OS had originally hoped that the first smartphone running based on this operating system would debut during the third quarter of this year, but now say that this isn't going to happen.
According to the Wall Street Journal, T-Mobile USA is now planning to have the very first Android-based smartphone on the market some time in the fourth quarter. However, Google and its partners are having to work so hard to get this device out that Sprint's initial phone running this operating system has been pushed back to 2009.
There's even talk at Sprint of dropping plans for an Android smartphone running on its 3G EV-DO network and instead making one based on its upcoming 4G WiMax network.
In addition, China Mobile has also had to push back the introduction of its first Android phone to the point where it's not certain it will happen this year or next.
Dreaming about Android smartphones
Google, the company heading up development on Android, has been willing to talk openly about it. It will be based on the open-source operating system Linux and strongly encourage third-party development. It will offer robust multitasking, and many of its bundled applications will tie in to Google's services, like Gmail.
On the other hand, companies have kept a very tight lid on information about the hardware that will be running Android. T-Mobile's first device will be the HTC Dream, which has been described by those who have seen it as being similar in size and shape to the HTC Tilt, a tablet shaped device with a sliding keyboard.
The delay in releasing the Dream isn't because of problems with the hardware, but the Android team is still putting the finishing touches on it.