Android and The Open Handset Alliance
For many users of mobile devices, the idea of an open platform is like a dream come true. It comes as no surprise then that many have reacted positively to Google’s announcement about Android, a new open platform for mobile devices. Developments behind Android are being spearheaded by the Open Handset Alliance, a group of 34 companies including Intel, Qualcomm, Motorola, Sprint and LG among others. How the Open Handset Alliance operates in conjunction with Google and the precise role each company will play with respect to Android is still not fully clear.
What is interesting to note is that many companies that support WiMAX also seem to be involved in the Open Handset Alliance. This is no coincidence. The connection speeds associated with WiMAX make it an appealing technology for those who are interested in increasing the quality of mobile communications. Along a similar vein, Android would allow mobile devices to function more like modern PCs. Users would have the ability to download and customize their mobile devices in ways that were previously impossible. Just as WiMAX aims to make mobile connectivity meet the standards of wired connectivity one would experience on a home or office computer, Android aims to provide freedoms that previously did not translate over from PC to mobile device. Both supporters of WiMAX and the Open Handset Alliance seem to have a common goal: enhancing users’ overall mobile internet experience. Developments around both these technologies are timely, and may eventually overlap given the right circumstances.
Technorati Tags: WiMAX, Google, Android, Open Handset Alliance, mobile devices, Ari Zoldan
Ari Zoldan
Launch 3 Communications
...
.gif)
