Google demonstrates how free Android is, blocks release of Android phones in China

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Android was meant to be a free, open source OS, but of course it has always solidly been under the thumb of Google.  This has been demonstrated consistently through the lack of multi-touch on high profile phones in the US, and of course withholding updates from some handsets.

The latest evidence for Google’s iron grip on the supposed open source OS has been Google’s announcement that they would delay the release of two handsets running Android and Motorola on the China Unicom network.

"The launch we have been working on with China Unicom has been postponed," said a Google spokesperson.

Google’s behaviour in this matter will come as a surprise to phone OEM’s, who had earlier expressed the view that Android handsets would not be affected by this spat between Google and China.

“Android uses a Android phone operating system, but that does not mean that Google’s Android on behalf of all the due, due, and Android is not related to R & D department in the country, so China’s launch of Google Android will not have much of impact.” said HTC’s Chinese CEO Mr. Chen Jinghong, it now appears optimistically.

It does however prove that relying on the supposedly free and open source operating system is not a safe bet from interference from the sponsoring company, and serves to level the playing field between the supposed free OS and proprietary solutions such as Windows Mobile, which has traditionally been strong in the region.

Read more at the BBC here.

Via Engadget.com

More about the topics: android, china, china unicom

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