After rumours of a Google phone emerging over the last few weeks, Google has revealed its new phone operating system today, which will be known as Android. The OS should become available in the second half of 2008 and is expected to compete with the likes of Symbian OS and Microsoft's Windows Mobile. Google has also promised to offer strong support for third party applications (a Software Development Kit to will be available from 12th November) by allowing equal access to all the same capabilities as Google's own applications, including user contacts, calendar and geographic locations. As well as this, Google has also formed an alliance of 34 companies, known as the Open Handset Alliance, which has helped to develop the OS and will continue to aid its growth and release. Among others, the alliance consists of powerful brands such as T-Mobile, HTC, Qualcomm and Motorola. Google's CEO, Eric Schmidt, said the following:

Today's announcement is more ambitious than any single 'Google Phone' that the press has been speculating about over the past few weeks. Our vision is that the powerful platform we're unveiling will power thousands of different phone models.