The hints keep dropping for Motorola’s first Android phone on T-Mobile.  It has not been officially announced, but we know it is coming.  We have new information that confirms the MB200 model number and I think T-Mobile will launch the phone as the Cliq.  Let us review everything that has been revealed to date.

5/20/09 – Motorola Morrison appears on T-Mobile’s leaked roadmap with release date of 11.4 – 12.31

6/19/09 – First leaked picture of the Morrison appears on the web

7/21/09 – Second picture of Morrison surfaces with a new design tweaks

7/29/09 – Morrison with T-Mobile 3G bands and WiFi passed FCC. Model number is CLIQ MB200.

7/30/09 – Motorola CEO confirms 2 Android phones for 2009

“We will have two Android devices in stores for the holiday season. We have deals that are signed and we will launch with two major carriers in North America and multiple carriers outside the US.”

7/31/09 – Motorola phone spotted in new T-Mobile My Account application.  MB200 mentioned in deviceconf.xml

What does this all mean?  Even though the Morrison/Cliq was first scheduled for a November time frame, I believe we are going to see it early.  The device has passed the FCC, we have seen it running Android, and it is appearing in official T-Mobile apps already.

As we reported yesterday, Motorola is going to unveil their first Android phones in September.  If the device is ready, I don’t think a late October release, like we saw with the G1,  is out of question.

Analysts were concerned that the first two phones might come too late in Q4, but Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha tried to put those fears to rest.  “With respect to launching devices in fourth quarter, we understand what it takes to launch devices in fourth quarter and when it needs to be launched. And I feel pretty comfortable that we’ll launch devices, so that we will see meaningful volume in fourth quarter. I understand of course that there is a track record that you allude to. We’re very, very focused on making sure that we deliver it in such a way that allows operators the opportunity to get behind the devices again, in a meaningful way.”

October might be aggressive, but that statement tells me it will be no later than November when the holiday shopping season begins.  If Motorola wants to improve their track record of launching phones in Q4, the Cliq is a perfect opportunity.

Update: TmoNews is reporting the Morrison/Cliq will launch October 21st.  No clue if it’s correct, but interesting news.  I’m pretty good with my educated guesses.