Who dares challenge the might of Google and Apple? Alibaba.
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| Pictured: K-Touch Cloud-Smart Phone W700 |
China’s internet giant has just launched a rival cloud based mobile platform, Aliyun OS, in what is the biggest phone market in the world.
The new cloud OS, has email, internet and support web-based applications, as well as GPS and maps and will be available on 3.8 inch K-Touch Cloud-Smart Phone W700, self made by Alibaba.
“Mobile users want a more open and convenient mobile operating system (OS), one that allows them to truly enjoy all that the internet has to offer, right in the palm of their hand,” said Wang Jian, president of Alibaba Cloud Computing, known as AliCloud.
It offers an “internet-like experience” and does not require users to download or install application software.
Cloud mobile apps also allows greater ease for software developers to use HTML5 and JavaScript to help reduce the complexity in the app development process.
AliCloud also plans to integrate the OS with other devices including mobile phones with larger screens and tablets in the coming months.
Apple iPhone is currently sold by just one carrier, at present, China Unicom, the second largest carrier, since 2009 although is said to be doing a deal with China Telecom, to sell iPhone 4 CDMA later this year, possibly November.
However, China’s 800m mobile users haven’t yet had huge exposure to smartphones, thus an ideal time for an already well known brand nationally to pounce.
Google’s Android OS is also said to be increasing its market share rapidly, selling 11 million handsets in the past year but Nokia is one of the most popular brands, traditionally.
According to latest statistics from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the number of 3G mobile users in China now exceeds 80 million, or 9.5 percent of all mobile users.
19.07 million handsets were sold in Q1 of this year and smartphones now account for around 30 percent of all mobile phone sales, according to research firm Analysys International.
