Nikon's Coolpix S800c and Samsung's Galaxy Camera may herald a new era of Android-based cameras, and Polaroid may be joining the fray soon.

Polaroid has had a tough time adjusting to modern days since the demise of the instant camera, but newly leaked images and specs indicate that the company may be getting ready to launch an Android compact system at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2013.

Should the rumors prove to be true, Polaroid could unleash what would be the world's first Android camera with interchangeable lenses. With no official name yet, the purportedly dubbed IM1836 could change the game soon.

Gossip site Photorumors, backed up by a leak from Russian social networking site VK, reported that official press shots and specs of the purported device have been leaked in Russia.

The alleged Android camera appears to sport a mirrorless interchangeable lens system. This would mark a major shift from Polaroid's flagship instant-film based cameras, which were eventually discontinued a few years ago.

After struggling with two different bankruptcy situations, Polaroid signed a deal with Summit Global Group back in 2009 to produce Polaroid-branded digital still cameras. The rumored Android-based camera may be the product of that partnership, but the origin of these rumors suggests taking things with a grain of salt.

The original leak hinted towards an Android 4-powered camera sporting a 3.5-inch touchscreen, an 18.1-megapixel sensor, pop-up flash, Wi-Fi, and HDMI/headphone out. The purported device features a rounded edge design resembling the Nikon 1 J2 mirrorless camera. The subsequent "press release" from VK later provided further details about Photorumors leak, including the additional information that Polaroid's new Android-based camera would pack micro SD for storage.

An Android-based camera is no longer surprising news, but if the rumors prove to be true Polaroid would be throwing its hat into a quite crowded field in the mirrorless compact space - a field already featuring strong offerings from more experienced companies.

The mirrorless space offers cameras that are smaller than DSLRs, without sacrificing too much in terms of image quality. Could Polaroid pull it off and deliver the world's first Android-based camera with interchangeable lenses?