The upcoming Apple iPhone software update will include Google Maps Street View implementation as well as the ability to read mass transit directions. The Google implementation was thought to be one of the niftier features of T-Mobile’s G1 Android phone, but now it appears both competitors will support the function.

A build of the upcoming software has just been released to developers and Google Maps Street View is said to be functioning nicely. Apple has issued no word as to when version 2.2 of the iPhone software will be available to the laymen. Click here for a host of applicable images.

Peter Chou, chief executive and co-founder of HTC, said in a recent interview that he expects to ship over 600,000 G1s this year. Also, although he didn’t release an exact figure for 2009, he did state "in general, we think we can do more next year."

Regarding the Google-enabled device’s potential at luring consumers away from Apple’s iPhone, Mr. Chou pointed to the QWERTY keypad. "Americans are very keyboard-oriented." he said.

Follow the link for more information.

The new Google HTC G1 Android phone officially launched today, and so did the Android Open Source Project for developers. This is a mixed bag of news. First the apps will be free until next year, but that means premium paid applications won’t appear until next year. The incentive for developers to develop good apps is good however. Developers get 70 percent of the profit, while carriers and billing fees absorb the other 30 percent, with Google getting nothing.

As of 8 am this morning the G1 phone went on sale at T-Mobile stores in major cities. All stores that only have a demo of the phone will take orders for the phone.

There has been some criticism of the phone, since it isn’t exactly like the iPhone. There are a lot of incredible built in apps like the ability to comparison shop before you buy. Just scan the UPC code of a product, with the help of your camera, to compare prices from online merchants and nearby local stores. You can read product reviews and even build an on-line wish list to share with your friends.

To learn more about the G1 visit the T-mobile G1 site. To learn more about Android visit their site.

Motorola is trying to pick itself up by it’s bootstraps these days. The 2004 Razr craze has faded like three day old leftovers and the company now finds itself hopelessly behind in winning over the hearts and minds of geeks everywhere. Of course, they must be doing something right since they are still the number one seller of handsets. But those cellphone carriers give Razrs away like lollipops so that could account for the sales. It’s the early adopters that matter! They have the big money. Well, sometimes. Sometimes they just forgo eating.

The Android might change all of this. According to BusinessWeek, Moto’s Google-enabled handset will feature an "iPhone-like touch-screen", a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and a host of social-network-friendly features. The magazine notes the device takes its design cues from the Krave ZN4 and resembles a high-end version of the T-Mobile G1 from HTC. It will, however, sell for less than the G1. The unit ships Q2 2009. Happy days could be here again for Moto fans!

Click the link for the BusinessWeek article.

The new HTC G1 Android Google phone has a lot of features you might not know about yet, so here’s a few videos to get you up-to-speed. With the release of the G1, the iPhone now has real competition. Although the G1 has less disk storage space than iPhone, G1 does have a USB port that will probably offer the ability to access all types of files, including audio and video, from a thumb drive plugged into it.

I wonder if T-Mobile will sell me the G1 Android without a contract? If not, we’ll need to post some jail break videos.