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The Korean manufacturer hopes to have an Android-based mobile phone on the market early next year, it said at the Mobile World Congress.

It also unveiled its latest Linux handset, the SGH-i800, which is powered by the LiMo mobile operating system from the LiMo Foundation.

The LiMo operating system has had little success on mobile phones so far, but its presence is steadily increasing as more manufacturers begin to take notice of the open platform. However, analysts have sounded a note of caution.

"Having the Koreans on board is good news for LiMo as they will drive innovation," says Ben Wood, research director at consultancy CCS Insight. "That said, we know that these companies will quickly desert the initiative if it does not deliver against the ambitious expectations it has set."

Motorola also announced plans to use LiMo on six phones, while NEC and Panasonic are also planning models.

In a separate announcement Samsung also announced that it expected to have four or five WiMax phones out this year.