IP solutions developer D2 has just cooked up something that should perk any Android fan’s ears: they’re working on VoIP over WiMAX for Android. Elitegroup Computer Systems and Beceem have partnered up with D2 to make this happen, and already have it set up and working in a demo device, the ECS T371. The real trick will be to get other manufacturers to buy into this tech, but who will make the first WiMAX Android phone? HTC’s existing WiMAX handset, and their extensive participation in Android makes them a likely candidate to pump out at least one such smartphone, while most manufacturers are likely to just skip it and go right to LTE. The other piece of the puzzle is operators – for one in Australia, VoIP over WiMAX was an entirely lost cause. In the U.S., Sprint’s Clearwire network is currently data-only, but a VoIP solution in handsets could open up the possibilities beyond what the Samsung Mondi is offering.
[via D2]