When Google first unveiled the Android project in late 2007, it positioned the software as a way to foster innovation in mobile phones by allowing developers to collaborate on new products and services. Google had complained about difficulties delivering products in the mobile market, where developers must often rewrite their applications for each phone operating system.

The search giant received some criticism for trying to solve the fragmentation problem by adding yet another phone platform. But Google predicted that Android would accelerate the pace at which new and compelling mobile services became available to consumers. Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt said at the introduction of Android that he envisioned the software running thousands of phone models.

With those lofty goals, Android seems off to a slow start. Michael Gartenberg, an analyst at Interpret, called the initial G1 "incomplete" for failing to support some basic functions such as Microsoft Exchange synch.

"Android has done a credible showing but they're going to have to do an awful lot more," he said. "They've proved it as a concept. The question is, how much is Google really behind this project in the long term?"

He wondered about Google's commitment because of its relative silence about the platform recently. "We haven't heard all that much directly from Google," he said. It would be valuable to see a road map for what features Android will deliver in the future, he said.