Dell first handset maker to support Baidu's new OS
Aims to boost lackluster mobile performance by targeting Chinese market in close alliance with local search giant
Published: 6 September, 2011
READ MORE: China | Dell | Baidu | OS | Android
Dell has failed to make much impact on the smartphone market, but it repeatedly turns to China to try to boost its fortunes. Last year it was working closely with Borqs, the creator of China Mobile's oPhone platform, and now it has teamed up with Chinese search giant Baidu to support its new Android-based mobile OS.
Both alliances show Dell veering away from the vanilla Google oriented Android experience and focusing its software efforts on China. It was key to Borqs' hopes of creating a variant of oPhone which would have international appeal, but although this was certified by AT&T, it has not seen the commercial light outside China. Baidu is also aiming to gain a broad base for its new mobile platform, building on its huge strength in China first. Last week it showed off its new system, which puts the search box at the heart of the Android user interface, and excludes preloaded Google services.
Dell is the first phonemaker to agree to make handsets supporting Baidu Yi, pipping Chinese OEMs to the post in the hope of gaining share in the largest mobile market ahead of Samsung and Apple.
The Baidu Yi technology has been released to application developers, and is likely to make its debut on consumer devices before the end of the year. Baidu accounted for 75.9% of China's search engine market by revenue in the second quarter, according to research firm Analysys International. However, Dell remains an also-ran in the mobile market, which will become a serious problem as PC uptake slows and gradually gives way to new form factors.
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