China wants Android as long as it stays legal

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology today assued a worried mobile community today that phones based on Android would still be allowed in spite of Google's current anti-censorship attitude. Government official Zhu Hongren told the media that there "should be no limit" to a mobile OS in the country as long as it follows local laws and cooperates with carriers.

The gesture is meant partly to assuage investors but also a reflection of China's official dependence on Android for its mobile strategy. China Mobile, which is formally backed by the government, is basing most of its smartphone strategy on a custom variant of Android known as Open Mobile System. Google wouldn't have the option of completely stopping the Chinese as Android is freely obtainable, but a lack of cooperation would hinder development of some models.

The Ministry's reaction follows worries that Google may have to stall plans for Android in China over either perceived or real obstacles. It may have delayed phones from Motorola and Samsung at the last moment this month to avoid a possible backlash, although Lenovo has said it remains on track to ship its Android-running LePhone in the spring.

Other mobile platforms have generally been unimpeded in China apart from lacking an official blessing. Many phones in the country use Symbian or Windows Mobile and were recently joined by the iPhone. Some of these still involve some form of censorship, as Apple has had to exclude certain iPhone apps from sale in the country due to sensitive issues such as Tibetan independence.

By Electronista Staff