Global sales of Android-handsets to top 5-8 million units in 2009

27 Dec 2008 at 17:49 GMT Timo Poropudas

Most branded handset vendors as well as vendors in China and Japan are all planning to launch Android-powered mobile phones in 2009, reports Taiwanese internet publication Digitimes.

The news site quotes its Digitimes Research saying that the likely to global sales of Android handsets wuld be 5-8 million units in 2009, accounting for 4-7% of the global handset market.

Most branded vendors, including Motorola, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics (LGE), are scheduled to launch Android-powered handset in the second half of 2009, while vendors in Japan and China-based Huawei Technologies may push the launch of their Google phones to the first half of 2009, Digitimes writes.

Also, a number of non-OHA (Open Handset Alliance) handset makers are set to launch Google phones in the first quarter of 2009. Lenovo is likely to deliver a customized Android-based handset to China-based mobile operator China Mobile in February or March.

The research note predicts that High Tech Computer (HTC) may start shipping Android-powered handsets to T-Mobile in Germany and may also make customized Android phones for Vodafone and NTT DoCoMo in 2009.