Motorola launches Google's Android based handset

NEW DELHI: Amid fierce competition in the fast growing handset market, US-based mobile phone maker Motorola on Friday announced the launch of its new device Motorola CLIQ, which will run on Google's Android operating system.

The development is being seen as a step towards breaking the monopoly of global software giant Microsoft, whose Windows operating system is used in most of the high-end devices.

The CLIQ is the first touch screen Android device from the stable of the US firm which is witnessing sagging revenues amid steeper competition from handset majors like Apple's iPhone, Windows based devices and Nokia.

The phone would be compatible to 3G and Wi-Fi services. Though the company did not talk as to when the device will hit the Indian shores, it is expected that the phone will be available across the globe from the fourth quarter.

Android is a Linux-based operating system for mobile devices that was introduced in November last year. It allows developers to write managed code in the Java language, controlling the device via Google-developed Java libraries.

With the CLIQ, Motorola would also debut its application called MotoBlur which allows users to synchronise their contacts, posts, feeds, messages, e-mails and photos from sources as diverse as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Gmail, corporate e-mail and have them appear on the device's screen, Christy Wyatt, Vice-President, Software Platforms and Ecosystem, Motorola Inc said.