An organization founded in 2007 by Google, T-Mobile, QUALCOMM, Motorola and others that sponsors and promotes the Android open mobile phone platform. Based on Linux, Android was developed to compete with all cellphone platforms including Windows Mobile and Apple's iPhone by offering an open platform that encourages third-party development of applications.
Google and the gPhone
In 2005, Google acquired Android, Inc., a startup that developed the Android platform. Because Google was expected to introduce a physical phone along with a software platform, Android was called the "gPhone" prior to its introduction. In addition, Google invested in the Clearwire-Sprint merger to create a WiMAX wireless network for mobile phones. As a result, Google has become a major player in the smartphone arena. See Android.
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