Although HTC and T-Mobile were successful in their partnership with Google for the launch of the T-Mobile G1, the alliance of handset maker and mobile carrier is stumbling over some rough times. Rumors of a delayed G2, a keyboard-less successor to the G1, is causing HTC to report profit declines for the first quarter of this year. Add to that the latest that the G family franchise might not be an HTC exclusive.

While the G2 hasn’t been released yet, internet speculations have it that the G3 will be manufactured by Huawei, not HTC, and will debut on T-Mobile at the end of the year. The device strays from the retro design of the G1 and G2 and goes for a minimalist look that is very similar to the iPhone and iPod Touch released by Apple. A large touchscreen and singular front button on the front bears a striking resemblance to Apple’s handsets.

According to Engadget Mobile, rumored specs for the device include a 5-megapixel shooter, 3.5 mm headphone jack, and WiFi.

Could HTC have more to fear in the coming year besides the latest economic slump? 2009 may be the year for Android as more handset manufacturers have committed to releasing more products running Google’s operating system. Netbooks, tablets, and additional phones have been circulating the internet rumor mill.