ARM to demo prototype Google Android phone
The British chipmaker will show off the early version of a phone based on Google's new Android mobile operating system at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona Monday.
Although neither Google nor ARM are commenting on the report, sources say the annual gathering will be a coming out party of sorts for the Mountain View, Calif. search company's mobile effort.
No details on what the phone looks like or what company will manufacture it when available. However, both T-Mobile and Taiwanese phone manufacturer HTC have said they will release phones based on the platform later in the year.
Google has brought together more than 30 carriers, manufacturers, software firms, and chipmakers to support Android. The company's stated goal is to work towards promoting the use of the Internet on the mobile phone.
Other carriers who have pledged their support publicly include China Mobile, NTT DoCoMo, and Telefonica. Analysts estimate that as much as two percent of all smartphones could be running on the OS by the end of this year.
Even with that type of market share, it would still fall far behind that of Apple, whose iPhone has already likely grabbed about a quarter of the market in less than eight months.
Details of the impending demonstration were first reported by Reuters on Thursday.