Rumors are making rounds about T-Mobile G1, the pioneer smartphone to run on Google's Android operating system, will soon have a successor - Samsung's new T-Mobile G2! The new Android-based device can be used with two wireless providers - T-Mobile and Sprint.

TechRadar, representative for Samsung, claimed that, in order to keep pace with competitors, the company plans to speed up the development of its own Android-powered device, which is expected to be launched within this year. Other than Samsung, leading manufacturers who are reportedly planning Android-based devices include Motorola, Garmin, NTT DoCoMo, and Sony Ericsson.

The gadget blog, Gizmodo, which said that the device would likely make its appearance in May, even posted a few pictures of the supposed new T-Mobile G2.

As regards the specs of the G2, the blog said that though it retains certain features of G1- like its touch-screen interface and 3.2-megapixel camera - the new smartphone is comparatively thinner than its predecessor; however, sans its key feature, the physical slide-out keyboard! With only a virtual keypad, the G2 resembles the Apple iPhone.

Other Internet sources report that the new device will be quite like the Samsung Instinct, or the Omnia, which is available only in Asia and Europe at the moment. One online buzz goes that the phone might be introduced during the Mobile World Congress, which is going to be held next month in Barcelona! (Rupinder Kaur contributed to this report.)