Android, Google's open-source phone, will debut next year

Google and several leading wireless companies today announced the Open Phone Alliance to develop the first truly open source platform for mobile devices called Android. Google (GOOG), China Mobile, T-Mobile, HTC, Qualcomm, MOTOROLA, and several other companies have joined forces to develop Android through the Open Handset Alliance.

The Android platform will be available under a free and open source license. In addition to significantly reducing development costs, mobile operators and equipment manufacturers also enjoy maximum freedom and flexibility in product design. Next week, the alliance will release the first version of its application development tools to enable developers to create innovative and engaging applications.

The Android platform will be supported by the world's top mobile communication companies. More than 30 mobile companies, including China Mobile, jointly promote and develop the Android platform, which greatly improves the convenience of technical collaboration and product promotion.

The first mobile phone based on the Android platform will be officially launched in the second half of 2008.

"This partnership will help unlock the potential of mobile technology and serve billions of users around the world." Driving innovation in the mobile industry in new ways will help shape a new computing environment and change the way people get and share information." Google CEO Eric Schmidt said, "Today's announcement is more ambitious than the Google phone that has generated a lot of media speculation over the past few weeks. We hope that when this powerful platform is removed, it can power tens of thousands of phones made by dozens of manufacturers."

"We believe that an open, advanced mobile phone platform is key to providing better support for operator services and a better experience for mobile Internet users, which will drive faster adoption of smart devices in China." China Mobile is excited to join the Open Handset Alliance and work hand in hand with Google and other members on the next generation of mobile phone platforms." -- Huang Xiaoqing, President of China Mobile Research Institute.

Founding member of the Mobile Phone Alliance

Ascender Corporation (www.ascendercorp.com), Audience (www.audience.com), Broadcom (www.broadcom.com), China Mobile (www.chinamobile.com), eBay (www.ebay.com), Esmertec (www.esmertec.com), Google (www.google.com), HTC (www.htc.com), Intel (www.intel.com), KDDI (www.kddi.com), LG (ww) W.lg.com), Marvell (www.marvell.com), MOTOROLA (www.motorola.com), an NMS Communications (www.nmscommunications.com), NTT DoCoMo, Inc. (www.nttdocomo.com), Nuance (www.nuance.com), Nvidia (www.nvidia.com), PacketVideo (www.packetvideo.com), Qualcomm (www.qualcomm.c) om), SiRF (www.sirf.com), SkyPop (www.skypop.com), Sonic Network (www.sonicnetworkinc.com), Sprint Nextel (www.sprint.com), Synaptics (www.synaptics.com), and TAT - The Astonishing Tribe (www.tat.se), Telecom Italia (www.telecomitalia.com), Telefonica (www.telefonica.com), Texas Instruments (www.ti.com), T-Mobile (www.t-mobile.com) and Wind River (www.windriver.com)

More information on open handset alliance, please go to www.openhandsetalliance.com.