Google heads coalition for ‘Android’ cellphone platform: VZW, Nokia, Microsoft notably absent

A group of industry heavyweights-headed by Google Inc., T-Mobile, HTC Corp., Qualcomm Inc., and Motorola Inc.-announced a new software platform for cellphones that includes an operating system, middleware, user interface and applications. The alliance said the first phones based on the “Android” platform will be available in the second half of next year.
The announcement brings to a close weeks of heated speculation on Google’s plans for mobile, including whether the company would announce a Google-branded phone, or gPhone.
“This partnership will help unleash the potential of mobile technology for billions of users around the world. A fresh approach to fostering innovation in the mobile industry will help shape a new computing environment that will change the way people access and share information in the future,” said Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt. “Today’s announcement is more ambitious than any single ‘Google Phone’ that the press has been speculating about over the past few weeks. Our vision is that the powerful platform we’re unveiling will power thousands of different phone models.”
Android proponents promised that the software would give consumers “a far better user experience than much of what is available on today’s mobile platforms.” The companies said the software will be made available under a developer-friendly, open-source license, which they said will give mobile operators and device manufacturers freedom and flexibility to design products.
The companies said they will release an Android software development kit to developers by next week.
There are 35 “founding members” of the Open Handset Alliance, the organization supporting the Android platform. Members include carriers such as KDDI Corp., NTT DoCoMo Inc., Sprint Nextel Corp., Telecom Italia and Telef