Mirs Communications Ltd. is planning to move into line with global telephone manufacturers and launch a handset based on Google's Android operating system. The handset is manufactured by Mirs owners Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT). The new model is expected to be launched in early 2010.
Android has already been adopted by companies like Samsung, Sony-Ericsson, and UTC. Motorola, which mainly operates in the area of GSM handsets (the networks used by Pelephone, Cellcom and Partner) announced several months ago that it planned launching Android-based telephones and exiting its current operating system, which many claim is cumbersome and not user-friendly. For this reason, Motorola has been pinning its hopes on Android for some time as a saviour that will put it back in center stage, competing on equal terms with the other Google-phone manufacturers.
The unveiling of Motorola's first Android device on an iDEN network (the technology used by Mirs) is surprising, firstly because Motorola Inc. prefers that the focus in cellular technology should be on GSM handsets, which are sold in far larger numbers worldwide than iDEN technology handsets, and because a Google-phone operating on the Mirs network will be "disabled" because it will not enable rapid access in every location to the Internet applications that a rapid network requires.
To solve the problem, the Mirs Google-phone, which has been given the codename "Opus 1", will allow convenient use of Internet applications only when connected to Wi-Fi networks, which will limit mobility in using many of the handset's features.
Mirs itself does not expect to be the first to launch the Google-phone in Israel. Samsung is in advanced negotiations to launch its i7500 handset (known as the Galaxy), which is expected to be here in September, probably with the other three netwoks.
Motorola Israel said, "Motorola has yet to make a formal announcement about an Android product, other tan to say that the company intends to be a leading player on this platform and all technologies towards the end of the year."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on June 25, 2009
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2009