Analysts predict high growth for Android handsets

Analysts are predicting that handsets based on Google's Android operating system will experience high growth, in terms of device shipments, this year. And despite the fact that only one million Android handsets have been shipped so far, IDC expects Android to grow by 420 percent--moving 3.6 million handsets worldwide before the end of this year. Another market research outfit, Strategy Analytics, have projected an even higher forecast of 900 percent growth for this new mobile operating system on the block.

Indeed, the limiting factor to shipment growth has to do with the fact that practically all devices built using Android will be shipping in Q3 and Q4 this year. At the moment, the sole smartphone running on Android is currently HTC's G1 phone. Francisco Jeranimo sums it up for Android this way: "the industry is showing a strong interest in this OS."

With another new entrant, the Palm Pre--allegedly launching May 19^th--it should be an interesting second half of 2009.

To read more about this story:
- check out this article from The Register

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