Report: Android phone on tap for China
Once there was just a single Android phone, the T-Mobile G1. Coming soon, in Australia, is the Kogan Agora. Now reports are pointing to an emerging gadget for China, known for the moment as the "OPhone."
The Lenovo-badged "OPhone"
(Credit: ModmyGphone)The site ModmyGphone is showing off a photo of a sleek gadget that it says is a joint effort of Lenovo, the PC heavyweight, and China Mobile, the largest cell phone operator in China:
The latest bit is, the phone is looking good and ready for testing. OPhone is a codename for phones that will be based on China Mobile's OMS (Open Mobile System) which is essentially Android + TD SCDMA (China's home-grown 3G standard).
Another site, ITProPortal, says that the smartphone, with "iPhone-esque minimalist features," is expected to debut in February or March.
The phone is likely to be a strictly domestic product, the reports say. China Mobile's spin on the OS would give it the ability to commission customized phones and would give it leverage in profit-sharing discussions. The mobile operator reportedly had a falling out with Apple over whether China Mobile could make modifications to the iPhone.
China Mobile is a member of Google's Open Handset Alliance, which just gained 14 members, including Vodaphone.
