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The gPhone is coming. The gPhone is coming. But when? Perhaps a month from now. This week, the Internet rumor mill's been running rampant with speculation that HTC may introduce its first Android-run smartphone on May 6th.

What set this frenzy off was an invite HTC sent out inviting European media to take part in a special event in London on that date. It reads: "Witness the next wave of HTC Innovation." What else coud that "Innovation" be, but a Google-run smartphone, right?

After all, as a member of the Google-lead Handset Alliance, HTC was one of the first vendors to announce its intention to release an Android handset, the first model for which is reportedly code-named Dream. Descriptions have Dream looking somewhat like the HTC-built and Windows Mobile-run AT&T Tilt—with a touch screen that swivels to reveal a hideaway QWERTY thumb-keyboard.

A couple of months later, HTC CEO Peter Chou said his company planned to introduce 2-3 of them in 2008, but not until the second half of 2008. This would seem to preclude the original design manufactuer from introducing Android-phone on May 6th.

Also, from what we heard at CTIA Wireless last week, Android may be far from ready for primetime, making the chances of a gPhone appearing this year pretty slim, despite promises.

You never know, though. HTC wouldn't be the first company to move up plans to roll out a new phone or, more likely, introduce a new phone with shipment coming at a later - sometimes much later - date.

If the May London event isn't for the gPhone, then what else could it be for? Perhaps an upgrade to HTC's Touch interface or a series of new Windows Mobiles. After all, nobody rolls out more Microsoft-run smartphones per year than HTC

Chou said in January that HTC is working on a new user interface that improves upon the TouchFlo technology, which essentially grafts an advanced touch interface onto the Windows Mobile platform and has been used in its successful Touch smartphone line.