Approximately 23 people are looking forward to the release of Android-based cellphones, but word on the street today is that Google has a lot more in mind for Android than powering some HTC device. Apparently Google wants to expand the operating system to other devices, including portable media players and set-top boxes.

That’s what VentureBeat says, though its story is so speculative it’s hard to believe any of it. Google “could” do this, Google “might” do that. Yeah, and Hull might win the Premiership this year.

The gist of it is, Google wants to expand Android to better compete with the likes of Apple and Microsoft in the pertinent spaces—mobile, desktop, and so on. That’s why it’s working so hard on improving its App Engine and the “artificial intelligence” of things like its spam filtering.

That’s great and all, but maybe Google should focus on getting Android-based cellphones released before it contemplates how else to position the operating system.