First AT&T phone with Google Android will feature Yahoo search
Although Google makes the Android mobile operating system, the search giant's chief competitor, Yahoo, will be the default provider on AT&T's first Android-powered handset, due to be released March 7.
The Motorola Backflip will feature Yahoo search out of the box, though users will be able to manually change the provider to Google if they so choose, according to BusinessWeek. Because the Backflip is not a Google-branded product, like the Nexus One smartphone, the search company declined to comment.
Yahoo spokesman David Katz cited AT&T and Yahoo's "long-standing relationship" for search partnerships. AT&T, the exclusive carrier of the iPhone in the U.S., announced in January that it would release a number of Android devices -- the company's first in its line of smartphones -- this year.
The Backflip will mark the first time U.S. customers under contract with AT&T will have the option to choose between Android and the iPhone. It was the introduction of Android as a multi-device iPhone competitor that helped to push Google CEO Eric Schmidt from the Apple Board of Directors last August.
The Android operating system indirectly came under fire this week when Apple filed a patent infringement suit against handset maker HTC, which has partnered with Google to create the Nexus One, along with a number of other Android-powered devices. HTC is accused of violating 20 patents related to the iPhone's user interface, underlying architecture and hardware capabilities, including multi-touch.
Some have speculated that Apple chose to sue HTC because an update to the Nexus One recently enabled multi-touch functionality on the smartphone's native applications, including the Web browser and maps. A year ago, HTC also introduced an Android phone with an iPhone-like virtual keyboard.
Google remains the default search provider on Apple's iPhone, though in January a rumor surfaced that Apple and Microsoft were in talks to make Bing the standard on Apple's mobile devices for search and maps. Google has deflected questions about the alleged talks between Apple and Microsoft, stating that it considers Apple to be a "valuable partner," and has no reason to believe that will change.
The Motorola Backflip will feature Yahoo search out of the box, though users will be able to manually change the provider to Google if they so choose, according to BusinessWeek. Because the Backflip is not a Google-branded product, like the Nexus One smartphone, the search company declined to comment.
Yahoo spokesman David Katz cited AT&T and Yahoo's "long-standing relationship" for search partnerships. AT&T, the exclusive carrier of the iPhone in the U.S., announced in January that it would release a number of Android devices -- the company's first in its line of smartphones -- this year.
The Backflip will mark the first time U.S. customers under contract with AT&T will have the option to choose between Android and the iPhone. It was the introduction of Android as a multi-device iPhone competitor that helped to push Google CEO Eric Schmidt from the Apple Board of Directors last August.
The Android operating system indirectly came under fire this week when Apple filed a patent infringement suit against handset maker HTC, which has partnered with Google to create the Nexus One, along with a number of other Android-powered devices. HTC is accused of violating 20 patents related to the iPhone's user interface, underlying architecture and hardware capabilities, including multi-touch.
Some have speculated that Apple chose to sue HTC because an update to the Nexus One recently enabled multi-touch functionality on the smartphone's native applications, including the Web browser and maps. A year ago, HTC also introduced an Android phone with an iPhone-like virtual keyboard.
Google remains the default search provider on Apple's iPhone, though in January a rumor surfaced that Apple and Microsoft were in talks to make Bing the standard on Apple's mobile devices for search and maps. Google has deflected questions about the alleged talks between Apple and Microsoft, stating that it considers Apple to be a "valuable partner," and has no reason to believe that will change.
Comments
Companies secure enough in their products that they actually offer 'Choices" are even better!
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I think its pretty obvious that Apple had a huge influence on this choice.
though users will be able to manually change the provider to Google if they so choose
I think it may have been something yahoo bid on...
lol can you imagine Apple saying, "The default search engine for AT&T's android phone will be yahoo. TAKE THAT GOOGLE!"
"I think it's wrong that one company should make the game Monopoly." - Steven Wright, comedian... love his work!
This has nothing to do with Apple and is pure Marketing for yahoo, 1 minute after figuring out the phone most people will probably switch over to google.
I was thinking the same thing.
Just announcing the suit starts the slow freeze of developers, handset makers and Android Marketplace apps.....Manufacturers have to realize that their phone could go dead if things go bad on infringement....
The hammer is dropping Google off iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, the most active and important instruments in mobile search, which is the wave of the future... when its about to hit Google's pocket they will yield...
Just the announcement of replacing Google Search with Bing would drop Google stock price by a bundle.... in the end its all about the money and Google is playing a dangerous game as Apple has all the marbles it needs to play this game to the death.
This is just the beginning.... Apple has some tremendous leverage and will up the ante slow until it gets attention......
Just announcing the suit starts the slow freeze of developers, handset makers and Android Marketplace apps.....Manufacturers have to realize that their phone could go dead if things go bad on infringement....
The hammer is dropping Google off iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, the most active and important instruments in mobile search, which is the wave of the future... when its about to hit Google's pocket they will yield...
Just the announcement of replacing Google Search with Bing would drop Google stock price by a bundle.... in the end its all about the money and Google is playing a dangerous game as Apple has all the marbles it needs to play this game to the death.
Don't think so; I think the likes of Motorola, Samsung, and LG can easily fight back on patents in a way that HTC would have much more of a challenge. Their patent portfolios are likely to be strong enough to cause a problem for Apple, but HTC's role in the past doesn't seem as convincing.
In reality, I think Apple expects to be able to contain/constrain 30-50% of the handsets running Android, and do an effective job de-stabilizing it a little. Without the action, I think Apple would have some problems defending the marketplace.
This is just the beginning.... Apple has some tremendous leverage and will up the ante slow until it gets attention......
Just announcing the suit starts the slow freeze of developers, handset makers and Android Marketplace apps.....Manufacturers have to realize that their phone could go dead if things go bad on infringement....
The hammer is dropping Google off iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, the most active and important instruments in mobile search, which is the wave of the future... when its about to hit Google's pocket they will yield...
Just the announcement of replacing Google Search with Bing would drop Google stock price by a bundle.... in the end its all about the money and Google is playing a dangerous game as Apple has all the marbles it needs to play this game to the death.
Yes, this is just the beginning. Android will crash and burn, and it all starts here, right now, with yahoo as the default search engine. We all know everyone who uses an Android phone will be too dense to know how to make google their default search engine!
Really, you sound so kookoo when you talk like this. Is this really indicative of pending doom for Google?
I guess HTC making Opera mobile 9.5 the default browser in some of it's windows mobile phones spells doom for Microsoft... Oh wait.
What does this have to do with Apple? This site sucks, how do you delete an account? Anyone know?
How does a competing handset on the same carrier affect Apple? Is that a serious question?
If you want your account deleted you can A) Request it from the Mods, or
How does a competing handset on the same carrier affect Apple? Is that a serious question?
If you want your account deleted you can A) Request it from the Mods, or
I knew you'd be one of the first to tell me how to delete the account
BTW, that handset is not competition to the iPhone and it's not the only handset that ATT has besides the iPhone. I don't recall seeing them all listed here in articles as they were released.
BTW, that handset is not competition to the iPhone and it's not the only handset that ATT has besides the iPhone. I don't recall seeing them all listed here in articles as they were released.
They've had articles about Android-based, Windows-based and Palm phones since the iPhone became a product. It's all competition, and that competition has gotten closer this year than any other time since the inception of the iPhone.
The real story is the switch from Google to Yahoo for search. Since Apple also includes both those engines as options and there is a rumour that Bing will make its way to the iPhone it's viable. Two things: Change does happen and Apple's goal is the money.
THe hOrroR, thE HOrRor
"we let people choose, we let vendors and carriers make search deals with 3rd parties on our OS, if end users choose us, we must be doing a better search for their needs"
The important question will be how many people choose an Android phone over the iPhone when they are on the same provider. I also wonder if tethering will be allowed on the Android while still being denied for the rest of us iPhone users by AT&T.
iPhone users Are data hogs.