Garmin Launch Android Phones in 2009

Garmin is developing an Android based mobile phone to be released in 2009, despite the failure to launch its well-publicised Nuviphone project.

Garmin is best known for its range of sat-navs, but the parallels with mobile phones are easy to see.

Indeed, with the likes of Google’s G1 Android making use of Google Maps and Streetview, it seems only a matter of time before mobile phones can be plugged into vehicles to act as fully fledged sat-navs.

Mindful of this, Garmin is actively looking at the mobile phone market and although the Nuviphone has yet to emerge, perhaps a move to the Android engine will galvanise matters.

ORIGINAL STORY:

A seemingly harmless report in the DigiTimes, a Taipei-based publication, reported on Garmin’s performance this far this holiday season. The story quotes Garmin’s head of marketing in the Asian market, and reports, “In addition to GPS PNDs, Garmin will launch Nuvifone, its first GPS-enabled handset, in the Taiwan market in the second quarter of 2009. Garmin also plans to launch self-developed Android handsets in the second half of 2009, with production to be outsourced.”

Garmin first announced the Nuvifone in February 2008. I was able to see a prototype of it at the Mobile World Congress conference. It is iPhone-esque, and offers a touch-based user interface with enhanced GPS functions. Despite the February announcement (10 months ago), Garmin has yet to get the Nuvifone to market, and recently pushed the introduction of that phone back.

I read this morning’s report in DigiTimes about Garmin’s plans to introduce Android-based hardware later this year with great interest. When I called Garmin to follow up, I was met with disappointment.

Garmin media relations manager, Ted Gartner, said that, “There were many inaccuracies reported by the DigiTimes.” He also said that Garmin is working on a statement to debunk most of the “facts” reported by DigiTimes.

So if you were excited about the possibilities of seeing Android-powered phones from Garmin, don’t get your hopes up.

Garmin plans out to release line of mobile phones in 2009. This may create a tough competition in the market and amongst the network carriers. Since Garmin Android based phones will be developed by the company itself it will be interesting to see how the device builds in mapping and functions.