'Google-powered' phone expected in 2008

Google will unveil its long-anticipated plan to bring its software to mobile phones within the next two weeks, The Wall Street Journal has reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

The 'Google-powered' phones are expected to make it to market by mid-2008, possibly from Hutchison Whampoa's 3 UK, Taiwan's HTC, South Korea's LG Electronics, France Telecom's Orange SA and Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile USA, the report said.

In addition to the ad-supported phone services bundling Google Maps, YouTube and Gmail, the operating system would be open to developers to build additional features.

Google executives have declined to comment on rumours related to the Google Phone -- or Gphone -- which has been reported on extensively this year.

Google executives have complained that carriers have locked up the market and stifled innovation in the US telephony market. They may bid on 700MHz wireless spectrum, chief executive Eric Schmidt said at Google's recent Analyst Day.

Elinor Mills writes for CNET News.com