Kyocera joins Android phone bandwagon
The HTC-built T-Mobile G1, the first Android-powered phone, will be getting company from Kyocera and others.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET Networks)Kyocera Wireless is building a mobile phone powered by Android , a move that expands the clout of Google's newly open-source operating system.
Wind River Systems, an embedded computing specialist that's increased its staff to help manufacturers support Android, said Tuesday it's providing engineering services to help incorporate the software from the 34-member Open Handset Alliance that has collectively built Android so far.
Several other phone manufacturers--HTC, Motorola, Samsung, and LG Electronics--already are alliance members, but Kyocera's Android endorsement shows the technology is expanding beyond that initial group of supporters.
Wind River provides its own "commercial-grade" version of Linux for Android and has partnerships with Texas Instruments, NEC Electronics, and STMicroelectronics to provide support for their hardware. It's not clear when Kyocera's Android-based products will be available, but Wind River's Android software is scheduled to become available in the first half of 2009.
Stephen Shankland writes about a wide range of technology and products, but has a particular focus on browsers and digital photography. He joined CNET News in 1998 and since then also has covered Google, Yahoo, servers, supercomputing, Linux and open-source software, and science. E-mail Stephen, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/stshank.
