Motorola to launch a social networking phone based on Android?

According to a BusinessWeek report, Motorola has been showing spec sheets and images of an Android based phone it is developing to carriers around the world. The phone is rumoured to have a touch screen of about 3.5", a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, design cues from the Motorola Krave ZN4 and a target price of $150.

While the device is likely to launch in the US only in the second quarter of 2009, it will aim to set itself apart from other Android-based phones by integrating with social networking sites.

Sites such as Facebook have already produced applications for other phones which enable mobile use of most site features, but they require the user to open them each time. It would be good, for example, if Facebook's inter-user messaging service was integrated with the phone so messages sent through such a service will be immediately displayed in the phone's message inbox.

Unfortunately, Motorola has not yet announced details of the ways in which the device will integrate with social networking sites.

source: BusinessWeek via CNet