Speculation is rife this week that T-Mobile USA is planning to launch the world’s first Android-powered mobile device as early as next month. The rumour originated on TmoNews, a US-based website that claims to be the ‘unofficial T-Mobile blog.’ Its report claims that the operator will launch a 3G Android device from Taiwanese manufacturer HTC known as ‘G1’ that will be available on a one week pre-sale to existing T-Mobile USA customers from mid-September costing US$150. The device will then retail for US$399, the report says, with a national launch in October.

The G1 is believed to be the same device as the HTC Dream, an Android-based handset that was first reported back in March and has since been supposedly demonstrated on YouTube clips and elsewhere. If the September launch rumour proves correct, it would contradict earlier reports that claimed the first Android devices had been delayed to either the fourth-quarter of the year or early 2009.  Other operators reportedly preparing to offer Android devices include Sprint Nextel and China Mobile.