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Chinese giant Alibaba making a 'strategic investment' in smartphones
What do you do when you're the biggest online retailer in the world, with an IPO valued at more than Amazon and eBay, combined? You do all kinds of things, but you also decide to throw some substantial cash into a smartphone maker. In this case, Alibaba says it's buying a minority stake in Meizu for $590 million -- making its recent $10 million investment in OUYA look like spare change. According to a joint statement from both Meizu and Alibaba, it'll help the web giant spread its own mobile operating system (Aliyun) through Meizu's smartphones (keeping the customers coming the Alibaba's myriad services), while giving the phone maker better sales clout and visibility.
The Daily Roundup for 05.09.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Zopo C2 phone with Aliyun OS hands-on (video)
We were rather surprised by Zopo's C2 (aka Xiaohei) when it was announced last month, and fortunately, it didn't disappoint us when we spotted the real thing at GMIC Beijing. For those who are just catching up, this Aliyun OS 2.0 phone packs some surprisingly good specs for its ¥1,399 ($230) price tag: a 5-inch 1080p LTPS display, a 13-megapixel main camera, a 5-megapixel front imager, a removable 2,000mAh battery and dual WCDMA 850/2100 SIM slots -- one for a standard SIM and one for a micro-SIM. During our brief hands-on, the software ran well on top of the 1.2GHz quad-core MT6589 SoC with 1GB RAM, though the built-in 4GB storage will definitely need some microSD love, as we kept seeing a warning message about low storage space. Industrial design-wise, the C2 is quite well-built, and while it's not the most exciting-looking phone in the world, we're just glad that Zopo is finally no longer ripping off designs from the likes of Samsung, HTC and LG. Hands-on video after the break. %Gallery-187876%
Zopo C2 embraces Aliyun OS, boasts 5-inch 1080p display, 5MP front camera and a low price
Despite the aborted launch of Acer's Aliyun-powered phone last September, the cheeky Android-based OS is now back with a handful of new devices courtesy of some local friends, with the most notable device coming from Zopo, a notorious cloner of Samsung, HTC and LG phones. That said, it looks like the company's making a change with this seemingly good-looking C2, and for the launch price of ¥1,399 or about $230 unsubsidized, the specs will probably make Xiaomi tremble: there's a 5-inch 1080p gapless LTPS display, a MediaTek MT6589 chip (1.2GHz quad-core Cortex-A7 processor with 1GB RAM and PowerVR SGX544 graphics), 4GB internal storage with microSD expansion, Yamaha audio chip, a removable 2,000mAh battery and WCDMA 850/2100 radio with HSPA+. Furthermore, not only is there a 13-megapixel f/2.2 main camera, but there's also a staggering 5-megapixel front-facing camera on the other side -- just like the one on Oppo's Ulike 2. Oh, and these all come in an 8.5mm-thick body, too. Zopo's now accepting pre-orders for the first 5,000 C2s and will be shipping before the end of the month, so if you have an account on Tmall and don't mind being a guinea pig then go for it.%Gallery-185899%
Alibaba spins out Aliyun team with $200 million investment, pep talk
You can imagine that the team building Alibaba's Aliyun mobile OS must have hurt feelings following Google's accusations that Aliyun is just a corruption of Android. Alibaba chief Jack Ma is keen to restore some of that wounded pride, at least on the surface. The CEO has used a since-confirmed staff memo to spin out Aliyun as a separate entity that will "safeguard the healthy growth" of the platform and Alibaba's mobile strategy. It's not solely an instance of tough love, either: Alibaba is putting $200 million into the new firm and will use executive Wang Jian as a link between the two sides, having him serve as the CTO for both companies. With that in mind, Ma's ultimate intentions aren't clear. While the separation may be a sign of a tighter focus on software, it also reduces the impact for Alibaba if anything drags Aliyun down -- and either motivation would be helpful for a company devoted to the web before anything else.
Google Senior VP of Mobile: Aliyun OS 'under no requirement to be compatible', but it won't get help from Android ecosystem alliance
Andy Rubin has added another response to Alibaba's Aliyun OS, after Google's insistence that Acer put the launch of its new smartphone on pause. He focuses (again) on the Open Handset Alliance (OHA), which OEMs agree to when they work with the platform, promising to keep Android a happy (and relatively compatible) platform. Amazon dodges any similar issues with its Kindle Fire tablets, because it didn't sign up to the same alliance. Rubin says that because Aliyun uses Android's framework and tools -- as well as housing some suspect Android apps (and pirated Google programs) within its own App Store -- the mobile OS "takes advantage of all the hard work that's gone into that platform by the OHA." Google's looking to protect how Android behaves as a whole, and the senior VP suggests that if Alibaba's new OS wanted "to benefit from the Android ecosystem" then they could make the move across to full compatibility. We're still waiting to hear what Acer (and Alibaba) plan to do next. [Thanks Jimmy]
Google wants 'better compatibility' for Android, Alibaba says 'Aliyun is separate,' Acer takes the brunt of it
On Thursday, we starting hearing claims that Google had strong-armed Acer out of launching its A800 CloudMobile in China with the Aliyun operating system. We reached out to the search giant for its response, but they declined to comment. Over the last 24 hours, though, Google has attempted to explain its stance, but at the same time has potentially created some confusion about how open Android really is. Below is the initial statement received by Marketing Land: "Compatibility is at the heart of the Android ecosystem and ensures a consistent experience for developers, manufacturers and consumers. Non-compatible versions of Android, like Aliyun, weaken the ecosystem. All members of the Open Handset Alliance have committed to building one Android platform and to not ship non-compatible Android devices. This does not however, keep OHA members from participating in competing ecosystems." This is clearly outlining Google's intention to prevent forked Android spin-offs from diluting the platform and the user experience. Fair enough. The trouble seems to be, however, defining when something is Android compatible, rather than its own separate (albeit Android-based) operating system. Amazon's Kindle Fire will instantly spring to mind. The new tablets run on Ice Cream Sandwich, but are fenced-off from the official Play store and other Google offerings. As you can imagine, the debate has started to get a little heated, we go into it in more detail past the break.
Alibaba claims Google leaned on Acer to cancel launch of CloudMobile with Aliyun in China
Just yesterday Acer was getting ready to unleash its CloudMobile smartphone on the Chinese public sporting an equally local (and equally not Android) Aliyun operating system. According to Reuters, however, when journalists turned up for the launch event today, an Alibaba (who make Aliyun) spokesperson told them the launch had been cancelled, before later releasing a statement saying Acer had received pressure from Google to pull the launch. The competing OS manufacturer claims that the Acer was told product collaborations and Android authorization would cease if the product was released. So far Google has declined to comment, but if true, represents some significant strong arming, in what is clearly a significant market. We have reached out to Google for comment ourselves. More as we know it.
Acer CloudMobile moves to China, dumps Android for Aliyun
Acer's CloudMobile (A800) has quietly slipped on its September 5th release date in the UK and headed East, where it's swapped its Android front-end for Alibaba's Aliyun OS. The dual-core handset will be released in China this Friday for ¥2,999 (approximately $474), making it the most expensive in the country -- according to the Wall Street Journal. Acer has reportedly chosen the fledgling, cloud-based OS for its Chinese customers because of the easy user experience, especially for smartphone first-timers. The company seems committed to exploring Aliyun in follow-up devices also, with one planned for release next month and more coming in 2013. Meanwhile, the flagship has yet to receive a dollar price or release date at Expansys, which doesn't suggest imminent availability of the Ice Cream Sandwich variant. Unfortunately, we'll probably never see Aliyun make it outside of China and into our eager hands... not without dropping some serious cash on an import, anyway.
Haier introduces Zing, a waterproof smartphone with Alibaba's Aliyun OS
Zing is right, because you probably didn't see this one coming. Haier, the Chinese consumer electronics company best known for air conditioners, refrigerators, and to a lesser extent, its home theater and mobile phone offerings, has just unleashed a durable phone for the home market with Alibaba's Aliyun OS. The handset is said to be waterproof, dust-proof and shock-proof, and from the looks of it, at least one of those claims is completely legit. The Zing features a 1GHz CPU, a 4-inch WVGA display and a 5-megapixel primary camera. A front-facing VGA shooter is also thrown in for good measure, and the phone will sell for ¥999 (approx. $157) when it hits shelves on June 15th. Perhaps HaiPad owners will consider purchasing a little companion for their tablet.
Alibaba unveils W800, second-gen Aliyun phone, and unnamed 'cloud-powered' tablet
In July we got our first taste of Aliyun OS, running on the W700. Now, with the Gregorian calendar year coming to a close, Alibaba is prepping its second wave "cloud-powered" hardware. First up is the W800, the successor to the original Aliyun handset. As far as specs go, the two look more or less the same -- with the latest version still rocking a 1GHz Tegra 2. The one obvious difference is the slightly larger 4.3-inch display gracing the front of the W800. Perhaps more interesting though, is the still unnamed tablet which also clearly bares NVIDIA branding. Speed and exact model of the CPU inside is anyone's guess, but we're assuming this isn't a Kal-el device. Price and release date for both are a mystery, but the W800 is expected to land sometime before November is out. Of course, you probably shouldn't expect these to show up in your local Best Buy, but you've got a friend in Hong Kong who can send you one, right?
Alibaba to launch English version of Aliyun OS this month, tablet by November
Alibaba is just beginning its long and arduous journey into the field of mobile domination, but it's already looking to expand its sphere of influence beyond China to tackle the OS giants. Merely a few weeks after announcing its Aliyun OS, the company has spilled the beans on its plans for the immediate future, which include launching an English version of the platform this month and pushing a tablet to the market within the next two. Details on pricing, release time frame and partnerships are scarce -- the K-Touch W700 wasn't specifically mentioned, either -- but Alibaba confirmed it's currently in talks with global hardware vendors. Baidu, care to offer another rebuttal? You've got a slot at seventh place to protect.
Alibaba announces 'cloud-powered' Aliyun OS, K-Touch W700 phone
Ready for another mobile operating system? Alibaba certainly is, having just unveiled its Aliyun OS. The new entrant will apparently be "fully compatible" with apps from Android through a proprietary Waterloo-style emulation layer. We don't know exactly how that'll work, but come September we'll find out when the new OS ships on a rebranded Tian Hua K-Touch, the W700, for ¥2,680 (or around $416). We're also interested in the firm's tightly-knit cloud services, with users receiving 100GB to store their "contact information, call logs, text messages, notes and photos" -- accessible from both PCs and Aliyun-toting handsets. With future plans for tablets and "other devices" in the works, coupled with incessant hinting from Baidu, those of you hellbent on fierce OS competition might want to consider relocating to China.
