Launch of Android phone in China would not be delayed: Sony Ericsson

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The launch of phone that runs Google Inc’s Android operating system in China will not be delayed by Sony Ericsson, a joint venture between Sony Corp and Ericsson.

The launch of two mobile phones using Android platform in China was postponed by Google this week. The move came as a result of the dispute over hacking and censorship in the country.

According to Sony Ericsson’s Chief Executive Bert Nordberg, the firm is planning to launch its Android phone, dubbed X10, in China and the rest of the world this spring.

Android-based handset launched by LG

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A new Android-based mobile handset has been launched by LG Electronics through T-Mobile UK and Virgin Media under the name of LG InTouch Max GW620. The device has an access to over 20,000 applications available on the Android Market.

Both free and payable apps including weather, games, mapping, Facebook and Twitter applications has been offered by LG InTouch Max GW620. The features of the phone include a 5-line QWERTY and touch screen keyboard, a 5-megapixel camera, a 3-inch touch screen, and a 1500mAh battery. The Social Networking Manager built-in application allows the users to access their friend’s social networking profiles directly from their contacts lists.

Auto Face-tagging and Face-to-Action are some of the other qualities making social networking through your phone all the more exciting.

Location-optimized mobile search launched by Google

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: In order to make results more relevant, the mobile search service of Google will now offer suggestions based on the phone’s current or previous location.

According to Google mobile engineering team members Natalia Marmasse and Scott Huffman, when users in the Boston metro area begin typing ‘Muse,’ suggestions such as ‘museum of science Boston’ and ‘museum of fine arts Boston’ are provided because people near Boston frequently look for these very popular museums.

Apple’s iPhone and smartphones running Google’s own Android operating system are optimum for this search enhancement. Users are required to turn on “Save recent locations” and “Allow use of device location” under the Settings link on the google.com home page to implement the new functionality

Android launch delayed by China Unicom

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The launch of the first Android powered handsets of China Unicom, due to be released on January 20 has been indefinitely delayed. The announcement for the postponement came after Google’s decision to exit the China search market because of censorship issues and recent cyber-attacks. China Unicom has also cited debugging problems as one of the reasons.

A customized Android-enabled OS called Uphone is under the process of development by Unicom using its own OS, UniPlus. Besides, the company is also planning to launch its own application store UniStore for its upcoming Uphone-enabled platform.

WCDMA-enabled Samsung’s GT-i6500U incorporating Android 1.5 and Motorola’s XT701 devices adopting Android 2.0 are the initial Uphone smartphones. Apple’s iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G devices in China are also sold by Apple’s iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G devices in China.

Windows Mobile Maldives to be launched

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Amidst the rumors of delay in the launch of Windows Mobile 7, Windows might offer a minor update to WinMo 6.5 under the name of Windows Mobile Maldives, a re-badged version of Windows Mobile 6.6.

This upgrade will be looking to help Microsoft maintain competitiveness with the iPhone and Android devices. Some more finger friendly panels will also be seen in the offer which will help rid the interface or a stylus.

ZTE’s Android to be launched this quarter

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Android-powered smartphones would be launched by ZTE which has joined the Open Handset Alliance (OHA), in the first quarter of 2010.After phone and PC maker Lenovo and rival kit vendor Huawei, ZTE becomes the third Chinese equipment supplier to join the OHA.

The announcement was made after Korean phone maker LG plans to launch 20 smartphones based on a range of operating systems including Android, Windows Mobile and Linux.

According to Lin Qiang, general manager of ZTE Smartphones, the company has has invested heavily in the research and development of Android smartphones during the last year because of its trend and popularity and is committed to invest in this innovative platform to meet the market demand.

LG aims 20% rise in handset sales

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Increase in the global handset sales has been planned by LG Electronics under which the company aims to sell 140 million units in 2010, a rise of 20%. About 20 new smartphones would also be launched by the company in 2010, of which more than 10 would be Android- based. Major focus would be on home market Korea and North America.

Other 2010 handsets model would be based on Linux and Windows Mobile systems. Production of easy-to-use smartphones aimed at first-time owners would also be the focus of the company in the first half of 2010, before moving into premium handsets with cutting-edge designs later in the year.

Android adoption might suffer China with Google’s exit

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Google’s adoption of Android mobile operating system in China may suffer a setback if the Internet giant decides to pull out of the country. Google pushed itself into the smartphones business with the aim to take the lion’s share of future mobile advertising revenue.

However, its decision to pull out of China would dampen interest in Android and hurt its position in the nascent but rapidly growing market. It is felt that not all the Android devices would be affected by the decision.

It also remains unclear, whether Chinese consumers will be willing to buy a device that lacks critical Google features, even if the other handset makers add other bells and whistles. Besides, the competition has already heightened with the Apple Inc. iPhone now available in the country, and Research in Motion Ltd.’s Blackberry, slated to hit China in the third quarter.

LG unveils its business plans for 2010

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: In its bid to become one of the top two mobile device manufacturers in the world by 2012, a raft of plans has been drafted by LG Electronics for its mobile business. The plan includes the goal of 20 percent increase year-on-year besides selling 140 million handsets in 2010. Details of a concerted drive into the global smartphone market are also included in the plan.

About 100 mobile retail stores in the developing world has been opened by the company in 2009 but the it still feels the need of a strong push into the Korean and North American markets.

Special smartphone business division was established by LG besides boosting the smartphone R&D workforce by 30 percent last year. LG’s current year target is to 20 smartphones based on operating systems including Android, Windows Mobile and Linux.

With the launch of a device supporting 3-Way Sync technology allowing seamless viewing of all mobile, PC and web content over a wireless network will also be unveiled as an innovation by LG.

NexusOne parts cost $174.15

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The new Google-designed Android handset, Nexus, is made of components worth $174.15. HTC’s phone is available in USA for $179 with a two-year contract from T-Mobile or at unsubsidized price of $529 for an unlocked phone. The cost is only of hardware and components and does not include other costs such as manufacturing, software, accessories and royalties.

Though the features like unibody construction and the blazingly fast” Snapdragon processor was already available in other smartphones made by the Taiwan based company, this was the first they had been combined into a single design.