All the Androids at MWC 2009

I’m sure in 20 years’ time from now, there really will be Androids roaming the vast spaces of MWC, but until then, I’ll stick with news on the mobile variety – Google Android, obviously!

Unfortunately, the only Android announcement of any note at MWC was the new HTC Magic (or the G2, as we thought it would be called) that will come exclusively to Vodafone.

So where have all the other Androids gone? We track the Android news from the major manufacturers at MWC after the jump.

LG’s Android phones

LG surprised many people by saying their first Android handset will be the LG KS30, a mid-range phone that released last year, but which will be retro-fitted with the Android OS.

The KS30, though, is a wimp of a phone, with only a 2 megapixel camera and no keyboard. Fortunately the company did say they have plans to release two more Android phones throughout 2009, so let’s hope one of them is better, but they also said they plan to release over 50 Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphones over the next three years as well, which hardly shows support for Google’s OS.

Huawei’s Android phone

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei were heavily rumoured to be announcing an Android handset at MWC this year, but all we got instead was this mockup of a case – with absolutely no further details other than the promise that it is really an Android phone, honest, and that it’ll be available in Q3 2009.

The phone looks superb – well, the case does! But until we see it in the flesh, or even read some more details on it, we’re not holding our breath.

Samsung’s Android phones

Samsung had no Android phone on show, and other than head of product strategy Won-Pyo Hong saying the company expects to release 3 new Android handsets in 2009, there was no other news at all on the Android front.

Having said earlier that their first Android phone would be delayed until late 2009, Samsung, it seems, are currently intent on keeping all their attention on the glorious Samsung Omnia HD and Beat DJ. Nuts!

Where are all the Android phones?!

MWC 2009 was meant to be the event where Android phones broke cover by the dozens, but that just didn’t happen. We’ve had rumours, cases and retro-fitted phones, but not even anything that can match the G1 yet, much less the iPhone. Even HTC are focusing on their Windows Mobile phones at the moment, and with Microsoft making a huge announcement with Windows Mobile 6.5, they seem to have grabbed all the attention in the software space so far.

I’m annoyed. I desperately want an Android phone with something like the features of the latest Symbian phones (e.g. the Samsung Omnia HD and Nokia N97) or even the Windows Mobile phones (e.g. the Toshiba TG01 and the new HTC Touch Diamond 2), not some vague announcements from random mass market phone companies.

Still, it’s early days for Android – many of the mobile phone companies already have deals and investment with Windows Mobile and Symbian, so they’re unlikely to switch to a brand new platform in the near term. Let’s hope

[Source: T3, EngadgetMobile]