Samsung is readying a 4.3-inch “i9200” update to its Galaxy S phones that runs Android 3.0 on a 2GHz processor, says an industry report. Other rumored Android phones include an Acer Liquid Metal phone, an HTC device that may be called the Knight or the Speedy, an LTE-ready LG model, a high-end Motorola Olympus, and a Motorola Quench XT3, say reports.

Android phone rumors are suddenly running hot and heavy as vendors prep for the holiday season. Here we dip our oars into the rumor blogosphere and see what last-minute Android smartphones could appear in time for the holidays. At the very least, most of these should show up in the first quarter of 2011 when vendors are expected to use both the CES show in January and the Mobile World Congress in February to show off their new Android 2.2 and Android 3.0 wares.

 Samsung Galaxy i9200: Android 3.0 on a 2GHz CPU

Rumors are circulating in Russia about an update to the Samsung Galaxy S due in early 2011 called the Samsung Galaxy i9200, according to "Staska," writing on UnwiredView. Based on reports from iTrans, the story says the i9200 will run Android 3.0 on a 2GHz processor, although it's unclear whether this refers to an actual 2GHz system-on-chip (SoC) or a dual-core 1GHz SoC.

The Samsung Galaxy i9200 also provides a whopping 1GB of RAM, 4GB of ROM, 32GB of internal flash memory, and a microSD slot that can load up 32GB more, says UnwiredView. The i9200 is rumored to offer a 4.3-inch 1280 x 720 Super-AMOLED 2 display and provides an eight-megapixel camera with "full HD" video recording.

The i9200 offers aGPS, Bluetooth 3.0, and 802.11b/g/n, says the story. Other standard features are said to include a 3.5mm audio jack, accelerometer, gyroscope, and proximity and ambient light sensors.

Staska has previously claimed that the upcoming Android 3.0 ("Gingerbread") release actually will — despite Google's denials — split up Android into two quasi-incompatible versions. Regarding the Samsung device, he or she is careful to write that the story "goes into a completely unconfirmed rumor category, and the rendered picture of the device raises some doubts."

Meanwhile, SlashGear reports on a teaser ad by Samsung Mobile saying a new Android device will be announced Nov. 8. One of the icons in the advertisement shows a phone, so perhaps the i9200 could make its debut then.

Acer Liquid Metal: Tough Android love

Rumors of a 3.6-inch, 800 x 480 Liquid Metal handset from Acer have percolated in recent months, says Engadget, which now confirms those specs by pointing to an FCC approvals posting for the Android 2.2 phone, listed as the Acer S120 DVT2 (Design Verification Test 2).

The site posted a photo of the alleged phone, borrowed from an earlier rumor report from Vilianov.com (pictured at left).

As its name implies, the Liquid Metal offers an aluminum finish. It runs Froyo on an 800MHz Qualcomm MSM7230-1 processor, and offers GPS, Bluetooth, and 802.11b/g/n, says Engadget.

The prototype is said to offer GSM/EDGE 850/1900 and WCDMA Band II and V cellular service, suggesting an AT&T launch, speculates the site. However, the story also adds the rumor that the phone is first set for a October launch in the U.K.

In February, Acer announced a Liquid e update to its original Acer Liquid smartphone. 

Is Sprint readying an HTC Knight or an HTC Speedy?

Sprint and HTC are readying a 3.7-inch Android smartphone called the HTC Knight, according to XDA-Developers. Based on the leaked photo the site published (pictured at right), as well as other information, the phone offers a keypad slider, says the story. The Knight looks a bit like the Sprint-offered HTC Evo 4G, offering the same type of micro-USB connector, says XDA-Developers.

The BoyGeniusReport quickly followed up with evidence from Sprint suggesting a launch date of Jan. 6, the opening day of CES. In addition, the site says that the actual name for the HTC Knight will be the HTC Speedy. (Or maybe just Sir Speedy?)

LG prepping LTE-ready Android phone?

LG, which announced its first two Optimus-branded Android phones this summer, is prepping an LTE (4G) ready Android phone for the first half of 2011, says Engadget. The site received a photo of the alleged LTE phone (pictured below), but beyond that the story appears to be based on guesswork.

LG's alleged LTE phone for Verizon
Source: Engadget

Dissecting the photo, Engadget notes the built-in Wi-Fi, an HD camera, and possibly a front-facing cam in the upper right. It also spies an LTE logo toward the bottom of the back.

Considering the clearly visible Verizon logo, this device would likely be one of the half dozen LTE phones Verizon has said are slated for the first half of next year to match its new LTE network, says the story.

In May, Verizon launched LG's first Android phone for the U.S. market, the LG Ally. There was no indication in the story whether the LTE phone would carry the Optimus brand name.

Motorola Olympus: Nvidia-powered, with a four-inch display

The next big Android phone from Motorola is called the Olympus, according to BoyGeniusReport. A Motorola source says the four-inch Olympus is "one of the hottest devices out of Schaumburg, IL in a little while," says the story.

Destined for AT&T, apparently, the phone is powered by Nvidia, presumably meaning a version of the dual Cortex-A9-based Tegra 2 processor. What's more the four-inch display is touted as being "beautiful," and will "step it up in resolution," says the story. No word was provided on availability. 

Motorola Quench XT3

A mid-range, 3.2-inch Motorola Quench XT3 is now available for pre-sale, says Techtree.com, expanding on an earlier report from Haryana News. The Quench XT3, which appears to be based on the 3.1-inch Quench announced in February, is being sold on Flipkart.com as the Quench XT3 XT502, according to the story. It will surface in India, presumably from a different source, "very soon" for 12,500 Rupees (about $282), says Techtree.com

According to the Flipkart.com spec sheet, the Quench XT3 XT502 runs the year-old Android 1.6 ("Donut") on a 600MHz Qualcomm processor, but plans are afoot to upgrade to Android 2.1. The XT3 is said to offer 256MB RAM, 512MB internal flash, and 100MB of internal flash storage, as well as a microSD slot supporting up to 32GB.

The phone's 3.2-inch, 480 x 320 capacitive display is augmented with a trackball, says Flipkart.com. Other touted features include 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, 3G (HSDPA), Bluetooth 2.0, a micro-USB port, GPS, and a 3.2-megapixel fixed-focus camera with LED flash. A 1270mAh battery is said to offer 500 minutes of talk-time and 480 hours standby, says the site.

If the Quench XT3 "doesn't make any bone in our body move with excitement," it's at least very reasonably priced, according to Techtree.com.

Availability

The UnwiredView story on the Samsung Galaxy i9200 may be found here, and the SlashGear story on Samsung's upcoming Android announcement event should be here.

The Engadget story on the Acer Liquid Metal should be here, and the FCC report on the phone may be found here. An earlier Vilianov.com report should be here.

The XDA-Developers story on the HTC Knight should be here, and the BoyGeniusReport follow-up on the HTC Speedy should be here.

The Engadget story on the upcoming LTE-ready Android phone from LG should be here.

The story on the Motorola Olympus from BoyGeniusReport may be found here.

The Flipkart listing and pre-order page for the Motorola Quench XT3 XT502 may be found here. The original Haryana News story on the Quench XT3's availability in India may be found here, and the follow-up from Techtree.com may be found here.

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