Google confirms rumours about mobile phone software project

Google has announced the details of its much talked about operating system, which it hopes will be launched on a wide range of Google friendly handsets in the near future.

Google is working with Samsung, LG, Motorola and HTC at the moment but no doubt the Google Club will grow rapidly.

The software is something engineers have been working on since 2005 and is named Android after the Silicon Valley startup, Android Inc, that Google acquired in the same year.

While there is no talk of a GooglePhone, the first handsets with the Google software will be available in the second half of 2008. However, customers will have to buy a whole new phone to get their hands on it as its not available for existing handsets.

The list of mobile phone companies that have agreed to provide service for the Google-powered phone in America include Sprint and T-Mobile. China Mobile, while Telefonica in Spain and Telecom Italia are just two who have signed on to provide service outside the U.S.