Google Android
Google’s Open Handset Alliance (OHA), the group of technology and mobile companies that it set up around the Google Android mobile operating system, has just announced that it’s signed up another 14 companies who will “…either deploy compatible Android devices, contribute significant code to the Android Open Source Project, or support the ecosystem through products and services that will accelerate the availability of Android-based devices.”

Google must be jumping with delight at this news, at they’ve managed to bag some big names. Top of the list must come Sony Ericsson, who announced that they’re working on a new Google Android phone. Other big hitters include Toshiba (who we can only hope release an Android phone on some decent hardware, so that it’s not as appalling as their current range of Portege smartphones!), Vodafone, and, more interestingly, Sat-Nav company Garmin.

More details after the jump.

The complete list of new OHA members is as follows:

  • AKM Semiconductor Inc.,
  • ARM,
  • ASUSTek Computer Inc.,
  • Atheros Communications,
  • Borqs,
  • Ericsson,
  • Garmin International Inc.,
  • Huawei Technologies,
  • Omron Software Co. Ltd,
  • Softbank Mobile Corporation,
  • Sony Ericsson,
  • Teleca AB,
  • Toshiba Corporation
  • Vodafone.

This brings the total number of OHA members to 47, which includes four of the big five mobile phone manufacturers (Samsung, LG, Motorola and now Sony Ericsson), plus HTC, Huawei and now Garmin; nine mobile operators, including NTT DoCoMo, KDDI, Sprint, T-Mobile, Telefonica and now Vodafone; and 13 semiconductor manufacturers, including Intel, NVIDIA, TI, Qualcomm and now ARM.

In short, with this much support from mobile phone manufacturers, mobile operators, and semi-conductor manufacturers, combined with the ease with which even small companies can manufacture an Android device, we’re about to see an explosion in Android handsets and technologies that could leave other platforms, such as Windows Mobile, Symbian, and Apple’s iPhone,struggling to keep up.

2009 was laready going to be a brutal year thanks to the credit crunch, but with so many competing platforms vying for your cash, not all of which will win, it’s set to get even more ferocious! Bring it on!

[Source: OHA]