HTC hasn’t even launched its G1 Android, the presumed Apple iPhone 3G killer and Motorola already let some of its similar plans leak to the media: the company plans to make an Android-based smartphone that will presumably be the G1 Dream killer.

According to rumors which exploded on the Webosphere, Motorola’s Android will also feature a large touch screen, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, but it will look higher end and will be about $30 cheaper.

The latest news on this new product is the low price. We were already aware of the fact that Motorola’s Android-based phone will offer access to social networking services. The news was confirmed by BusinessWeek which also reported that the new device will use a similar design language as the recently announced Motorola Krave ZN4.

HTC will sell its G1 at the price of $180 after rebates with a new contract, while Motorola’s Android-based phone will be available for $150. The network Motorola will pick is not known yet, but it is highly probable that it will choose GSM-based networking technologies for its device.

Motorola has reportedly allocated a budget of USD 50 million to develop its Android. However, if the news stirred the enthusiasm in you, calm down.  Motorola won’t launch the new handset until sometime in the second quarter of 2009. It is not sure whether Motorola will launch the Android phone six months after HTC launches the G1 because it started working on it later or because it’s taking its time to make sure things work out as planed.

However, given the fact that Motorola has said very little about its Android phone, many industry analysts raised an eyebrow when the discussion focused on the possibility that the new handset might successfully compete with T-Mobile HTC G1 Dream, Nokia’s 5800 and the rest of the big league players.