Apple iPhone, iPad detonated the smartphone, the tablet PC market, followed by the Chinese manufacturers have chosen open-source Android for food.
Since Google released the mobile operating system Android at the end of 2007, with free and open-source, Android mobile phone manufacturers to carry all the way to attack the city.In less than three years, Android has gone beyond Microsoft, Symbian, RIM, and even Apple.
In the Chinese market, Android has become the domestic mobile phone manufacturers favorite smartphone system. Because of its exemption from licensing fees and allow OEM manufacturers to differentiate improvements, domestic smartphones almost all Android as the system of choice. At the same time, also spawned a lot of secondary development based on Android systems, such as mobile iPhone.
Today, Android patent” mine "exposure, where the Chinese "fans" too much to handle?
"I think this event will not spread to the domestic manufacturers in the short term."July 15, for the recent Microsoft, Apple and other giants of the Android camp launched intensive patent litigation, well-known domestic mobile phone manufacturers face“calm”.
But worries have begun to spread. There are two different views in the industry: one believes that domestic manufacturers can ultimately be protected from the impact, the other is that "the coming will always come", should be prepared.
Chinese manufacturers sued by chance
"As the director of a smart War, it's definitely part of the fight, part of the fight," he said.”
In less than three years, the Android ecosystem has been incredibly powerful. At a recent earnings conference, Larry Page said Google already has 231 carrier partners and 78 Open Mobile Alliance partners in the world.
Just when everyone thought that free Android would unquestionably dominate the market, the war on mobile operating systems was just beginning.
Android's advantage is free, while Microsoft, Apple, and other manufacturers is to seize its biggest disadvantage-the lack of patents. The patent fee charged to Android phones through litigation makes Android expected to be the "most expensive free" system.
Once the cost advantage is lost, the Android alliance is likely to collapse."Microsoft's purpose is clear," he said."There are domestic mobile phone manufacturers said, take Android to do the most successful HTC, Samsung surgery. But he believes Microsoft will not expand the attack surface to all Android manufacturers for the time being.
"Google has combined a lot of companies, these manufacturers, although the patent alone is not like Microsoft, together is still very powerful."These people think, as the director of a smart war, must be gradually disintegrating each other's camp, part of the fight, part of the draw. In his view, the domestic manufacturers belong to the part to be roped.
But it is clear that it is not Microsoft's intention to charge royalties."Microsoft in the mobile operating system has been behind, is a follower of the market," the domestic mobile phone manufacturers said, let everyone to support Microsoft's operating system, slow the development speed of Android is its true intention.
Ai Media Consulting chairman Zhang Yi believes that the purpose of Apple is similar.iOS just launched at the time, ahead of other manufacturers 3 years, but after the opponent has become increasingly close.HTC phones from the operating experience and other aspects have been very close, the lack of software stores."The follow-up force issue makes Apple want to delay the rapid development of Android. Zhang Yi said.
Countermeasures Increase support for Microsoft mobile operating system; develop operator customization; launch autonomous mobile phone system
Although some domestic mobile phone manufacturers feel that the storm will not impact to the domestic manufacturers, analysts generally believe that the future of patent issues will certainly affect the domestic android industry chain.
iSuppli China Research Director Wang Yang believes, " the future of domestic manufacturers shipments up certainly will be charged."It is reported that last year the domestic manufacturers such as ZTE, Huawei Android shipments in 1 million to 3 million units, and this year is expected to be more than ten million units.
In Zhang Yi's view, domestic manufacturers should now begin to plan ahead, in order to patent litigation problems that may be encountered in the future began to prepare, such as the underlying technology patents, "may have to spend some money to reserve, rather than just to develop the market".Also to acquire some of the predecessor of the patented technology, not just the appearance and UI.
Reporters learned from some manufacturers, although they do not think that Microsoft, Apple, etc. will be launched directly against them. But in fact, domestic mobile phone manufacturers have begun to move, trying to shift the target.
The first is to increase support for Microsoft's mobile operating system. It is reported that Microsoft in May this year to show the Windows Phone 7 upgrade product Windows Phone Mango, the new system has added about 500 new features. News that the fastest will be officially launched in September Mango system.
According to people familiar with the situation, Huawei, ZTE has begun to put Mango into the future of the new smart machine operating system in the plan. Previously they were only Android."I think the future of litigation mainly depends on the attitude of the domestic manufacturers, if support Mango, should be much better."The aforementioned domestic mobile phone people said.
Another means of response is the development of customized strategies operators, interests and operators tied together."Because the operator is also Microsoft, Apple's partner. The source said that for domestic
Mobile phone manufacturers, different systems in the future may have a more clear division of Labor, "Microsoft Mango used to do high-end, Android does 1000 yuan to 1500 yuan in the mid-market, because Android High-End Domestic has done but Samsung, HTC".
Zhang Yi believes that for iPhone, dim sum and other domestic Android-based secondary development of the system, the patent problem also means more uncertainty. But a person engaged in the development of mobile phone operating system told reporters, relying on patents to prosecute, in fact, is that the accused in the market passively, " but for us, also need to be prepared in advance, especially patent reserves”.
Zhang Lihua, the author of "Huawei R & D", believes that Android's lawsuit will further promote domestic manufacturers to promote their own operating systems. Domestic internet companies such as Baidu, Ali have announced to push the autonomous mobile phone system. Zhang Lihua said, " I think in the future Huawei, ZTE will do their own operating system, will not be subject to Android."
Cottage smart "machine" will be?
If litigation is broadened, copycat manufacturers get more cost advantages
"It will be a positive for the cottage industry," he said. Wang Yang told reporters, Microsoft, Apple and other giants of the Android camp patent crackdown, is likely to make the copycat factory are a blessing in disguise.
Because Microsoft and other patent fees can not be charged to the cottage, if the lawsuit is expanded, the formal production of Android mobile phone manufacturers will be charged a lot of expensive patent fees, cottage manufacturers have gained more cost advantages.
Recently, in the smart machine market, the status of the cottage plant is gradually losing. Because the role of operators began to become more and more important, for the copycat manufacturers, because they can not enter the operator's custom threshold, lost the operators subsidies are difficult to compete with the copycat machine ZTE, Huawei and other manufacturers.
But Android's patent problems are likely to provide market space for the cottage machine to turn to the process of intelligence.
It is reported that MediaTek will start shipping to customers in August HSUPA overall platform solution-MT6573.
The latest 3G platform to run Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread operating system, performance and Apple iPhone and HTC and other mainstream 3G smartphones little difference.
Thanks to the ability to run Android Gingerbread system, MediaTek's solution is even considered to be the savior of the smart transformation of the cottage.MediaTek's solution, coupled with a no-charge Android, may be able to replicate the success of the GSM era.
However, Zhang Yi thinks, now for the cottage factory is mixed."The rise of the cottage is simply due to regulatory irregularities, the requirements will be higher and higher in the long run, even if exported to third world countries as well."Zhang said, " the favorable aspect is that between the current situation of the intelligent machine market will leave some space for them, can buffer for several years."