Mobile phone maker Motorola is the subject of a new rumour that has set industry tongues wagging. Some are predicting that the company is planning to release a massive 10 smartphones in the second half of 2009.

The speculation comes from analyst Oppenheimer & Co, and has created a massive buzz around the flagging manufacturer which has seen poor sales for some time now. It has long been anticipated that Motorola will stage a powerful comeback, and it could be through the release of new and innovative smartphones that help the company get back on its feet.

Motorola has also expressed intense interest in working with Google's new Android operating system instead of Windows Mobile, the OS it has frequently used in the past. The inclusion of Android could mean a larger appeal for Motorola, as millions clamour for a handset packing Google's platform, which so far has only made an appearance on HTC's hugely popular T-Mobile G1.

The G1 was released in the UK last November and has seen many of the main players in the mobile industry rush to develop their own handsets toting Android software. So far, 2009 looks set to be the year of Android, with companies like Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson all rushing to release their own Android offerings.

This is much to the chagrin of companies like Research in Motion and Apple, whose BlackBerry and iPhone offerings carry only software developed by the companies themselves - meaning they cannot capitalise on Android's potential, but are forced to compete.