China may get Google Android phone from China Mobile

Speculations on who would be the first Asian carrier to bring in a Google Android phone seems to have been rested at least for the time being. It is being rumoured that China Mobile is set to do that soon.

The first Google Android mobile operating system-based phone, T-Mobile HTC G1, is ready to be released in the US this October. However, various repors had been speculating on who would bring the Android phone to Asia, which has the largest telecom markets in the world.

China Mobile has taken centre stage, with over 410 million subscribers, cheering their hearts out. The Open Handset Alliance, which includes China Mobile, NTT DoCoMo and Japanese telecom major KDDI, had been pushing hard for the Android.The T-Mobile G1 was unveiled last week, and is expected to launch in the United States on October 22. Europe will have to wait till the beginning of early next year.

Asia might end up being the biggest market for the Google Android phone is India and China takes to the Google Android phone. However, for this to happen, the T-Mobile Android phone being succesful in the US market is critical.

HTC is currently in talks with one undisclosed Indian cellphone services operator to introduce the Android phone HTC G1 in India.

China Mobile is looking forward to such a situation, and is said to be working hard to bring the HTC Andoid phone first in China and Asia. The company had earlier mulled over introducing an Android-based phone to be developed by HTC at the end of the year. However, a delay in making open mobile systems based applications happen meant that the company may have to wait to launch the handset by Q2 of year 2009.

The success of Android in the US could also mean that it would be picked up enthusiastically by customers in India.  Markets like India are said to have the advantage of users having the choice to switch devices easily.