back to article China sprouts another Android fork

QQ, the world's biggest social networking service, is to launch its own handset and yet another fork of Google's Android, bringing the count up to four Android variants in China. Not that Tencent (owners of QQ) have varied hugely from the stock Android code. The new platform provides ties into a range of QQ services, but bears …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Not forks

    The already-popular MIUI rom used in Xiaomi's phone is hardly a fork - even less so than the Motorola and HTC customisations, in that it gets updated within days of any Android release.

    The forthcoming Amazon tablet sounds like it might be a real fork, in that it's derived from an earlier Android release and will not provide access to the Android App Market. Everything else, including the Tencent variant which provoked this article, not so much. So, why does it read as if there is a large and growing number of Android forks?

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Mushroom

    Xiaomi's phone is supposed to be pretty special; so if they can really deliver it at the price they claim, and it gets into the western markets; it could seriously dent the sales of everyone else.

    As for QQ,, they have so many members, it makes facebook, skype and twitter look like exclusive boys clubs. If they get 1% of their users to buy their phone it will make it a great success, but with QQ being featured on EVERYTHING here in China, I suspect that, assuming the phone is any good; they will sell by the bucket-load.,

    As I write this, my QQ panels says there are 129 MILLION QQ users on line!!!!

    As for comparing their attempt to the Google Phone, they have a MUCH larger street level awareness than Google; you see the QQ penguins displayed everywhere; and where are the Google logos??

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    QQ is great.

    Woohoo title is now optional!

  4. Wang N Staines

    Expensive

    Job creation for the lads.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Subtitle

    NOT ironic.

    Just surreal.

  6. Guillermo Lo Coco

    @Ian Emery

    If you live in China, you know how truth are the news in TV and newspapers, the specs of products, the trust in companies, an so on. What do you expect for QQ statics ? truth ?

    I dont buy the QQ statics. Are far from reality.

    1. Chimp

      Why no icon for mob?

      Yes, that's true. Not sure how that differs from everywhere else, unless you're a yellow peril nutjob.

    2. mhenriday
      Meh

      Guillermo, in which earthly paradise do you live,

      where truth is told on the telly and in the newspapers and where the statistics published by companies can be relied upon ? May I also enquire as to the relevant immigration regulations ?...

      Henri

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Coat

      Lowai in China

      You dont believe QQ membership numbers??

      Nearly EVERYONE I know in China has a QQ account, I get school children approach me in the street and ask for my QQ number, they cannot conceive of anyone NOT having an account.

      The ONLY people I know who dont have accounts are the elderly, say over 55-60 and without a phone.

      And while talking of phones, please bear in mind that few people in China have a PC yet, most of those 129 million members use QQ via their phone; so a QQ phone, with QQ services integrated, would seem a logical purchase for them.

      PS, I believe the Chinese press about as much as I believe the UK press.

      mines the coat with build-in aircon - it is still >30c out here

  7. Armando 123
    Coat

    Can't help myself

    I suppose a fork ISN'T out of the question

    Mine's the one with the I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue audiobook in the pocket

  8. All names Taken
    Paris Hilton

    Optional

    Give China another 10 years and will there be desktop OS, Server OS, Tablet OS, even newer devices OS from them?

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