Motorola and Samsung Android devices have been delayed in China due to ongoing friction between Google and the government there, but Sony Ericsson said confidently at the Japan X10 launch that their own Android device will be landing in China in the Spring without delay. It’s easy to imagine the politics of a move like this: Google leads the charge in pushing the Chinese government back in the light of cyberattacks and human rights violations, Samsung and Motorola follow their lead, but SE thinks with their wallet instead and goes ahead with a launch. Sure, that’s all inferred, but one must still wonder at the reason for such a discrepancy between handset manufacturers. On top of that, will the X10 be able to make it in China with (presumably) no support from Google? Will the move sour relations between Sony Ericsson and Google just when they’re getting started with Android, or will this whole China thing blow over by the time Spring rolls around?
[via Reuters]