Telstra: Android not a surety

Telstra said that reports it was committed to fielding an Android device in the second half of the year were false, with devices under consideration, but no final decisions made.

(Credit: CNET News)

A Telstra spokesperson said that when Telstra executives spoke to press at Mobile Congress in Barcelona about the company's plans for the hyped operating system, they had said that Telstra's Android plans were still under consideration.

"We are considering an Android-based phone and if we decide to proceed I expect it to be in the second half of the year," the spokesperson said.

APC had reported that the deal was already in the bag, with Telstra set to write software for the open-source operating system which would provide easy access to Telstra's content and services.

Despite the admission that the company was considering Android devices, the Telstra spokesperson was unable to give any information on which ones were under scrutiny.

The telco's interest in Android is an about turn from its CEO Sol Trujillo's comments at the company's investor day in November last year. Trujillo had said the operating system was interesting but not compelling.

In January, Trujillo admitted to ZDNet.com.au sister site CNET News.com that Telstra was looking at it, but that he didn't consider the operating system to be robust.

"We won't be rolling it out tomorrow," he said. "The research we've done suggests consumers want more simplicity and not more complexity."