The open-source software, known as "Android," is designed to unify the developers of mobile applications around a common platform that will make the Internet work as smoothly on mobile phones as it does on computers, media reports said.

It is billed as the first comprehensive mobile operating platform that software developers are free to adapt in any way they wish for video, audio, social networking and other features.

Kits for tailoring applications to Android will be in developers' hands in a week and the first phones built with the software platform are due to appear in the second half of 2008.

Contrary to reports that surfaced during months of breathless speculation, it seems the Mountain View-based company has no immediate plans to make phones of its own. Instead, it will work with four manufacturers and 29 other companies that have formed the Open Handset Alliance to help launch Google's mobile software.

"If you were to build a G-phone you would build it out of this platform," said Google chief executive Eric Schmidt.

"Imagine not just a single Google phone, or G-phone, but thousands of G-phones made by a variety of manufacturers."

But Schmidt also hinted the company might eventually make its own phone powered by the new software.

"We don't want to foreclose any options in the future," Schmidt told reporters during a Monday conference call.

Google is hoping Android opens another lucrative channel for peddling ads and services to people when they're away from their personal computers, supplementing the revenue already pouring into the company from Internet advertising.

But the company said it is in no rush to see operators alter the way they charge for service.

"Let's put the technology enablers in place and figure out how to monetize it later," said Andy Rubin, the official in charge of Google's mobile phone push. "You won't see a completely ad-driven cell phone on this system for some time."

Agencies

Güncelleme Tarihi: 06 Kasım 2007, 16:46