Mobile devices Toolkit

ARM to show Android prototype

Tom Krazit CNET News.com

Published: 08 Feb 2008 11:19 GMT

ARM plans to demonstrate prototype phones based on ARM processors and Google's Android operating system, possibly paving the way for the chip designer to join Google's Open Handset Alliance.

It won't be the first Android prototype to get a public airing, but this one will be shown at one of the biggest events of the year for the mobile-phone industry. An ARM representative distributed invitations on Wednesday for people to come and see the Android prototypes next week in Barcelona at the Mobile World Congress (formerly 3GSM).

ARM technology is found at the heart of almost every mobile phone available. The company designs the processor cores that companies such as Texas Instruments, Samsung and Marvell manufacture into chips that run mobile phones and smartphones. But ARM was not on the initial list of companies that agreed to join Google's Open Handset Alliance when it was announced in November along with the Android software.

Android is based on a Linux kernel that already supports ARM-based processors. However, different handset makers utilise ARM's cores in different ways, which makes it a challenge to create software that works consistently across phones from multiple vendors.

An ARM representative declined to comment on whether the scheduled demonstrations meant the company would be joining the Open Handset Alliance.

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