Google getting controversial, Motorola swaps browsers
After broadly adopting Android, Motorola’s Rocky-style bounce back is dependent on the platform being a success. Investors have been alarmed by Google’s dispute with the Chinese powers-that-be over censorship and cyber-hacking, so Moto has said ‘Hello’ to Baidu, and will provide access to the rival as an alternative search engine, on its Chinese launches.
All part of a plan to de-googleise Android phones for China, protecting the potentially huge market even if Google take the nuclear option and decide to pull-out, however unlikely this is. The decision also showcases the adaptability of an Android build.
Chinese subscribers aren’t yet crazy for apps, popularised and raising billions of sales dollars in the West after two and a half years of iPhone dominance. But thinking ‘if you build it, they will come’, Motorola wants to change the situation and lay claim to a stake early, launching its own app phone site. In English it will be called SHOP4APPS, and the Chinese name roughly translates as ‘little place to find App Wisdom’.
Widely reported, Google has postponed the launch of its phone in China this week after experiencing coordinated cyber attacks aimed at accessing the cloud-held Gmail accounts belonging to Chinese human rights activists.
The ongoing issue of Internet censorship and email hacking has caused the company to pull the planned launch ceremony for the Nexus One and to announce that it will stop censoring search results from its Google.cn engine. Google sounds like it means business and said it may even close the site and shut down its Chinese office entirely.
About 30% of Chinese search engine traffic is Googled. Local rival Baidu carry 60% and were quick to denounce Google’s position as financially motivated. "What Google said makes me sick" blogged the chief architect of Baidu, "If you are to quit for the sake of financial interest, then just say it".
Google bosses remain upbeat about their chance to encourage the Chinese government to loosen restrictions on free expression and information sharing. Chinese officials have so far avoided direct confrontation, but many statements issued echo the Party line that all companies, including Google must follow the nation’s stringent censorship laws.
The stakes are high for Google as the outcome will greatly influence whether Android powered phones will have a place in the world’s largest phone market.
BlackBerry picking
Research In Motion and Hong Kong based IT firm Digital China announce a distribution agreement to push more BlackBerrys to Chinese subscribers. China Mobile, who have the largest subscriber base in the world, have offered Blackberry devices since 2006, but never heavily promoted them.
The new deal will promote the devices through Digital China’s local expertise and nationwide distribution chain.
RIM Co-CEO Jim Balsillie explains, “We are delighted to reach a distribution agreement with Digital China. Business partnerships are an important aspect of RIM’s strategy and Digital China’s extensive knowledge and market presence will further expand the opportunity for RIM in China”.
Like to know more? press release here
After broadly adopting Android, Motorola’s Rocky-style bounce back is dependent on the platform being a success. Investors have been alarmed by Google’s dispute with the Chinese powers-that-be over censorship and cyber-hacking, so Moto has said ‘Hello’ to Baidu, and will provide access to the rival as an alternative search engine, on its Chinese launches.