Suggestions that HTC have one or more Android-based Google cellphones already waiting in the wings have been percolating for months now, and so Google-Phone’s Vincent Nguyen spoke to the handset manufacturer to see just what affect the open-source OS might have on their range.  Key among HTC’s concerns was that Windows Mobile - the OS that currently powers the majority of handsets available either under their own name or with operator branding - has not been ousted by Android.  Instead, models based upon both platforms will be available, and while we couldn’t get HTC to elaborate on specific details for their Android model(s) they confirmed that it would be a heavily data-centric device designed to fully leverage Google’s suite of web-enabled applications.

Further indication of future Android cellphone development comes from the presence of Synaptics, cryptically listed in the Open Handset Alliance member directory as supplying ”a variety of user input solutions for mobile devices”.  Our sister-site, SlashGear, scored an exclusive hands-on late last year with one of Synaptics concept devices, the Onyx, which at the time was rumoured to form the basis of Apple’s iPhone.  Instead, Apple went with a relatively home-grown model and Synaptics licenced their multiple-touch-sensitive capacitive display to rivals such as LG for use in their Prada cellphone and, more recently, in Samsung’s F700 “Croix”.

Onyx was a showcase for Synaptics’ ClearPad technology, a capacitive touchscreen which can differentiate from one and two-fingered touch and even recognise when it’s being held against the face.  That allows for on-screen scrolling, gestures such as have found favour on the iPhone and intuitive browsing and call management (there are videos of the concept in action over at SlashGear). 

Notable by their current absence from the OHA partner list is Pilotfish, the company responsible for the Onyx’s UI.  It remains to be seen as to how much branding and inter-handset similarity Google demand, and we won’t find that out until manufacturers release preliminary information from their SDK trials (which should begin within the week).