Google announces mobile OS "Android"

Google has announced its entry into the mobile world, though not in the fashion as many were expecting (or hoping). The announcement comes in the form of an open-source OS called “Android”, which is the name of a company Google purchased back in 2005. The Linux-based platform is expected to be integrated into devices by mid-2008. Google opted to go this direction with their mobile debut so that developers could have a platform to integrate their own applications into Google’s already broad collection of web apps. Google has already sparked deals with Motorola, HTC, Samsung, and LG, confirming rumors that these companies would be among the first to offer Google’s first mobile operating system. Google CEO Eric Schmidt said in a statement, “This partnership will help unleash the potential of mobile technology for billions of users around the world. A fresh approach to fostering innovation in the mobile industry will help shape a new computing environment that will change the way people access and share information in the future,” Google’s Android might change the world of mobile as we know it.