CONTINUED:
Google confirms mobile operating system

The Linux Mobile Foundation (LiMo) -- an industry consortium aiming to create a standardised implementation of mobile Linux -- shares many members with the Open Handset Alliance. LiMo's president Morgan Gillis told CNET.co.uk's sister site ZDNet.co.uk on Monday that Google's initiative was "very complimentary to the LiMo initiative [with a] natural dovetailing in terms of technology focus and industry backing."

"I expect Google will use a range of channels in order to access the mobile consumer," said Gillis. "The channel approach has to be quite diverse. In broad terms they will work comfortably with some operators, and they will also seek to leverage their own desktop-based channel to desktop consumers in order to get them across [to Android]."

Gillis explained that Android would have a strong focus on location-based services, through the use of both GPS and triangulation. This will manifest itself in the form of location-based advertising and other services such as mapping.

Although it is likely that some Google-branded handsets may appear, Gillis does not believe the company will not move into the mobile-hardware business. He also said it was unlikely at this point that Android will involve a VoIP component, which is something that could upset mobile operators who are keen not to lose out on voice revenue.

Gillis suggested that operators would be divided in their levels of enthusiasm for Android. "Some operators are very actively developing similar services of their own and they will be reluctant to embrace Google, at least to begin with," he said. "Other operators [such as T-Mobile] who are very well known for their own service offerings have, interestingly, decided to embrace Google."

According to Gillis, Android will have a purely consumer focus, rather than targeting the enterprise market dominated by Windows Mobile, RIM and Symbian. "Although you can access Google services already on [high-end handsets], Windows Mobile is not the handset used by the typical mass-market consumer," he said. "The idea here is to bring a set of really useful mobile-based services to everyday users."

"The Internet is somewhat available to mobile consumers, but not in a form optimised for a mobile context, or comfortable for general consumers to use," said Gillis. "This has the potential to significantly raise the bar in terms of the Internet experience on the mobile -- so whether individual parties are working with Google or not, the whole industry will have to respond."