Contrary to long-time rumors that Google is going to make phones of its own, the online search leader announced on Monday it would offer a software for mobile phones. In an ambitious entry into the mobile market. Google, T-Mobile, HTC, Qualcomm, Motorola and other vendors are collaborating on the development of an open source software, known as 'Android', through the Open Handset Alliance, a multinational alliance of technology and mobile industry leaders.
The Open Handset Alliance is comprised of 34 companies. In addition to China Mobile, T-Mobile, HTC, Qualcomm and Motorola, founding members include handset manufacturers Samsung and LG, telecom operators NTT DoCoMo, KDDI, Telecom Italia and Telefonica, and chipmakers Intel, Texas Instruments and Broadcom.
The Android platform, the Alliance's first joint effort, is a mobile "software stack" that consists of an operating system, middleware, interface and applications. Next week, the Alliance will release a software development kit that will provide developers with the tools necessary to create applications for the platform. It is billed as the first comprehensive mobile operating platform that software developers are free to adapt in any way they wish for video, audio, social networking and other features.
Google is hoping Android opens another lucrative channel for peddling ads and services to people when they're away from their personal computers, supplementing the revenue already pouring into the company from Internet advertising. However, this might be difficult as mobile phones are much more personal to consumers than computers. The first Android-based phones will be available in the second half of 2008.