Google phone set for Tuesday launch
20 Sep 2008
Mumbai: The first mobile phone that will run on Google's Android software will be finally launched in New York on Tuesday.
US telecom firm T-Mobile will unveil `Google phone' built by Taiwanese firm HTC on 23 September and the device will be on sale in stores as early as October.
Android is being developed as an ''open source'' platform and Google is hoping the new system, designed to improve the speed and quality of using the internet on handsets, to become the dominant operating system for mobile phones.
Analysts expect the Google phone to potentially transform the mobile telephone market by providing service supported by advertising instead of subscription fees.
Android was developed by a 34-member group called the `Open Handset Alliance' that included China Mobile, HTC, Intel, Motorola, Qualcomm, T-Mobile, Telefonica, LG and eBay.
Prototypes were demonstrated by ARM, Marvell, Texas Instruments, Qualcomm, NEC, ST Microelectronics at Mobile World Congress.