In less than a year since its release, the Android mobile operating system has become a hot topic in the board rooms of every major carrier and handset manufacturer. Now Android is set to invade the market with at least 18 to 20 devices in 2009.

Andy Rubin delivered this news at the Google IO Developer Conference. Rubin, the man behind Android at Google, declined to comment about the devices or specific manufacturers working on these devices.

This impressive number of devices are only the ones that Google is aware of. Anyone is free to download the code for Android and use it to release a new device.

Rubin also shed some light on what it takes to get permission to use the Google logo on a device, such as on the T-Mobile G1. Google actually has three models for licensing the Android operating system.

The first tier means simply using the Android operating system freely without any obligation to Google. While these devices can access the App Store, they can’t come preloaded with the standard Google applications like Gmail and Calendar.

The second tier allows the handset manufacturer to load Google’s applications onto the device. This option requires the manufacturer to sign a distribution agreement and will account for over a dozen of the phones released this year.

The third option allows the cell phone maker to use the Google logo on the device, but only if the phone provides “The Google Experience.” This tier requires certain applications to be included on the phone, as well as uncensored access to the App Store.

This option requires the carrier and handset manufacturer to allow developer applications on the phones, even for controversial functionality like tethering. Tethering allows you to use the wireless connection on your phone to access the Web on a laptop or other computer.

Europe is likely to see the lion’s share of these devices in the near term, while U.S. carriers are working on custom versions. However the question still remains whether Android is built to last or just a flash in the pan.

Related:

Entry was posted on Thursday, May 28th, 2009 at 9:23 am under Cell phones, Google.

Read more entries by Dave Jeyes.
Stumble It!