Acer Joins OHA, Expects End Of Year Android

Apparently Acer has issued a press release declaring their membership in the Open Handset Alliance. We already knew Acer was working on Android devices but formally joining the OHA suggests a higher level of commitment and dedication to the Open Source platform. In the Press Release they reiterate expectations to launch an Android Phone in the 4th Quarter of 2009, combatting recent rumors that their units may have been facing delays.

It seems that AndroidAuthority.com is being cited as the of the source of the information, but I was unable to dig up the original press release publication which, at least on the surface, is slightly suspicious. It probably all checks out so I’ve pasted it below, but I just wanted to reiterate that I was unable to trace the Press Release back to the initial distribution from Acer:

London, 1st June 2009-Acer announces its joining of the Open Handset Alliance and expects to launch smartphones based on the Android platform in the fourth quarter of this year.

As a member of the Open Handset Alliance, Acer will work with its members to contribute to the development of the Android platform and bring consumers a far better user experience than much of what is available on today’s mobile platforms. By joining the Open Handset Alliance, Acer demonstrates its support for Android as an open mobile platform and its commitment to Android’s commercial success.

Android is a complete and open mobile phone software stack, featuring an operating system, middleware and key mobile applications. It includes everything a manufacturer or operator needs to build a mobile phone. Android was built from the ground-up to enable developers to create compelling mobile applications that take full advantage of all a handset has to offer.

There are over 40 members in the Open Handset Alliance, including mobile operators, handset manufacturers, software companies, and semi-conductor companies.

We’re expecting about 18 to 20 Android Phones to launch during 2009… hopefully the Acer A1 or another Acedroid will be among them.