The breakdown of Google-China relations won’t affect China Unicom, which is the world’s second-largest mobile operator by subscribers. The carrier plans to offer Android smartphones and I doubt Google has anything against that, considering the potential reach.
On the sidelines of the opening of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in Beijing, Unicom Chairman Chang Xiaobing said: “We are open to mobile phone operating systems, and we recognise that Android is a mainstream system… We will definitely use Google’s Android in our mobile handsets.”
Meanwhile, Unicom’s arch-rival, China Mobile, is pushing forward its flavor of Android – OPhone, with plans to launch many handsets this year.
Even if Google pulls out from China, I doubt that will affect Android in a big way. After all, that’s another company (Open Handset Alliance) which members wants a piece of the ever-growing Chinese mobile market and I’m not what Google can do to entice other member companies not to “go China.” It’s such an an opportunity, which if they don’t take, someone else will…
[Via: MobileBusinessBriefing]