Android gets backing from mobile heavyweights

 

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By Reuters

Posted on 10 Dec 2008 at 08:10

Fourteen of the world's largest mobile phone and chip makers - including Sony Ericsson, Vodafone and ARM - have joined the Open Handset Alliance that supports Google's Android platform.

The new members' pledge to back the Android software is a significant feat for Google, as its T-Mobile G1 phone takes on the popular iPhone 3G.

But despite the big-name additions to the Open Handset Alliance, analysts say what matters is whether the new members introduce more Android-supported smartphones to edge out competitors who also use open-source Linux software for mobile phones, such as Nokia-owned smartphone software maker Symbian.

"It's great to get these folks on board...now it [the Open Handset Alliance] has to make sure these licencees actually ship products," says research firm Jupitermedia's vice president of mobile strategy, Michael Gartenberg.

The first company set to introduce a mobile device that uses Android is Sony Ericsson. The company plans to introduce the phone in mid-2009. "Android is set to become a significant application framework for mobile phones," says Ericsson's head of mobile platforms, Robert Puskaric.

The Open Handset Alliance claims each of its members has committed to developing applications and services for Andorid or Android-compatible mobile devices.

Taiwan's Asustek, Toshiba and Garmin also pledged their support, bringing the total number of companies in the Open Handset Alliance to 47. These companies join earlier members of the Alliance, such as the world's biggest chip maker Intel and mobile phone makers Motorola and Samsung.

Mobile OS battle

The addition of new members to the Open Handset Alliance gives Google-developed Android more heft in the battle to dominate the mobile phone software market in coming years. Android's biggest competitor is Symbian, which controls half of the market and was acquired by Nokia, the world's biggest mobile phone maker, earlier this month.

Nokia contributes Symbian's assets to a not-for-profit organisation similar to the Open Handset Alliance, called the Symbian Foundation. Members of the Symbian Foundation have royalty-free access to Symbian's software.

So far, 59 companies have said they plan to join the Symbian Foundation, including Japan's third-largest wireless carrier, Softbank.

Android also competes with Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system, which has been gaining ground.

With a range of companies jumping into the Alliance, such as portable navigation device maker Garmin, Android has the potential to be featured on devices other than mobile phones. Each mobile phone maker can also modify the Android open-source software.

"What's fascinating about Android is it's this malleable thing. As these phones come out from other carriers it looks and operates differently," says Greg Sterling, a web analyst with Sterling Market Intelligence. "It seems more people will jump on the bandwagon."