LG, MOTOROLA LAUNCH ANDROID PHONES IN INDIAN MARKET.

                      NEW DELHI, Mar 29 Asia Pulse - Google's mobile operating system Android is catching up with major handset makers with Korea's LG Mobiles (KSE:003550) and US's Motorola on Monday announcing the launch of Android phones in the Indian market.

While LG's 'LG GW620' is priced at Rs 16,490, Motorola's smartphone 'Milestone' would be available at Rs 32,990 based on Android systems. Currently, Symbian mobile operating system is the dominating network.

                      Android is a mobile operating system, initially developed by Google and later by the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of 47 hardware, software and telecom companies.

Being an open-source operating system, Android allows developers to design applications independent of the handset type.

HTC (TAIEX:2498), Samsung (KSE:005930) and Sony Ericsson have already launched their Android-powered handsets in the Indian market.

                      LG GW620, with the Android operating system, is equipped with three-inch touch-screen and a side-slider QWERTY keyboard, five-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi and high speed EDGE and GPS connectivity.

                      "LG's first Android phone, LG GW620, further reiterates our commitment to push boundaries in mobile phone innovation and design. We are sure that with LG's accumulated technology leadership in mobile phone industry and our strategy to support every existing operating system, LG will provide better choices and benefits to our consumers," LG Mobile Communications business head, Sudhin Mathur, said in a statement.

                      Motorola's Milestone comes pre-loaded with lifetime free access to voice-guided street-level navigable maps of 401 cities in India. The GPS navigation service does not need activation or data charges. It is independent of mobile networks and can be used even without inserting the SIM card. It has a 3.7-inch widescreen display and a five-MP camera.

"MILESTONE is a smartphone and is targeted at the well-informed, 'socially' connected individual," Motorola India country head (mobile devices) Faisal Siddiqui said.

(PTI) ms 30-03 1028