Baidu wants platform on Android, iOS, Windows
updated 08:29 pm EDT, Tue May 15, 2012
Baidu Cloud to sit atop all mobile platforms
Fresh off the announcement of its new mobile phone, Chinese search company Baidu has told TechCrunch that it has big plans the Baidu Cloud Smart Terminal system that runs its new phone. Baidu wants to see Baidu Cloud make an appearance on all major mobile operating systems, including Windows Phone and iOS.
A Baidu spokesperson said that the company is interested in eventually producing a Windows Phone with Baidu Cloud, as well as an iOS device, although how the latter would be accomplished is unknown given Apple's controlling attitude toward its devices. Baidu Cloud is a suite of apps tied into Baidu's storage, music, and search offerings.
In the case of the phone announced today, Baidu Cloud operates atop a forked version of Android 2.3. Google has given its Android partners much more leeway with regard to adapting its operating system, resulting in greater variance in adoption of the latest versions of Android. Microsoft, though, is less lenient than Google; and Apple maintains complete hardware and software control on its iOS devices.
