Google is going to launch its new branded phone soon in 2010. According to reports, the phone is being launched in collaboration with smartphone maker HTC.

It is expected that the new Google phone will probably be thinner than Droid and iPhone already available in the market. A dedicated team in Mountain View will specifically design the Google phone.

Although no substantial news has been given regarding the specifications of the handset, but most probably, it will be manufactured by LG and Samsung.

Google is planning to sell the phone directly to customers as well as through retailers. This does suggest that Google does not have any major network partner on board, and would sell unsubsidized phones instead.

Also, as the phones will be sold outside the carrier system, it means that the Google phone could cost as much as $500, and would have to run on a SIM-friendly GSM network such as AT&T and T-Mobile.