It seems as though the Android smartphone operating system is starting to really come alive these days. Sales of the devices have really been shooting through the roof if these latest numbers from Google CEO Eric Schmidt are any indication.

According to Schmidt, Google partners are shipping Android smartphones at a rate of 65,000+ per day. "It looks like Android is going to be either the number one or number two player," added Schmidt to the AFP.

65,000 units shipped per day would put Google at about 5.85 million Android smartphones shipped (and steadily rising) per quarter. That compares to the 8.75 million iPhones that Apple sold last quarter.

According to NPD, the Android operating system is already the number two smartphone operating system in the United States putting it ahead of Apple's iPhone OS, but behind RIM's Blackberry OS. At the rate Android OS is expanding, it shouldn't be too long before it starts its worldwide domination.

"Our strategy is very different from everybody else's," Schmidt continued. "We license our code for free, so that's really pretty revolutionary. We're trying to build an entire ecosystem of openness, the inverse of the other guys."

The next few weeks should be quite amazing for Google. Sprint's flagship Android 2.1-based HTC EVO 4G smartphone will be shipping early next month and Android 2.2, also known as Froyo, is expected to debut this month.