Garmin Android phone due in '09; Asus to produce?

We may still be waiting for Garmin's Nuvifone, but news has surfaced that Garmin's also got a Google Android-based phone in the pipeline for 2009.

According to today's DigiTimes, Garmin plans the phone to arrive in Q2 2009 and will outsource production of the device. Since Garmin recently divulged that Asus will be producing the long-awaited Nuvifone, it's possible Asus has the rights to manufacturing the Android phone as well.

Also: Due to better-than-originally-expected sales performance in the North American market since Black Friday, estimates that Garmin's 2008 total sales volume of GPS navigation devices will increase 50 percent from the previous year to 18 million units, according to the company's Asia Pacific marketing director Tony An.

Of course, if Garmin puts the same kind of polish into the Android phone as it has into the widely-celebrated Nuvi line, they might have an unlikely hit on their hands. Thoughts?

Related reading:

• Larry Dignan: Garmin: Nuvifone on track for 2009 launch, but economy hurts outlook
• Larry Dignan: Garmin: The curse of the Nuvifone and GPS price competition
• Adrian Kingsley-Hughes: Garmin nuvifone … hmmm, interesting
• Jason D. O'Grady: Has iPhone met its match with nuvifone?

[techmeme]