Move over Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Nokia (NYSE:NOK), it looks like Google Android is hitting the big time, it has now gained 14 more powerful members, Sony Ericsson, Telco Vodafone (LON:VOD), Ericsson, Toshiba Corporation, Teleca AB, Softbank Mobile Corporation, Omron Software Co. Ltd, Huawei Technologies, Garmin International Inc, Borgs, Atheros Communications, ASUSTek Computers Inc, ARM and AKM Semiconductor Inc have all joined the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) today, which is a Google-led consortium of companies developing mobile phone software Android.
One thing this announcement lets us know is that Google and the T-Mobile G1 phone must be doing extremely well, in just a few months the G1 is expected to sell 500,000 devices. This might not seem a lot compared to the Apple iPhone, but when you get big players like Ericsson manufacturing a Android phone then Google Android really will mean business and rivals Microsoft and Nokia need to be on their guard, not only is the Android a lot cheaper than its rival operating systems other phone companies such as Motorola have said they will concentrate on Android next year too.
Not only does Google Android have some of the biggest phone manufactures on side now it has some serious carriers joining with Vodafone which has 280 million customers worldwide, this really is an important day for Google and a gigantic step in the right direction.
Source: Businessweek