WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.
China: Baidu in talks with Foxconn to build low-priced smartphone with Baidu Yi OS.
Baidu is reportedly now in frequent discussions with Foxconn to build a low-priced handset running Baidu Yi mobile operating system (OS), says report.
A report Friday by ZDNet Asia's sister site, zol.com.cn, noted that the handset--to be targeted at the 1,000 RMB (US$159) price range--will be co-launched with a smartphone vendor, which identity has yet to be unveiled.
The device is expected to include hardware features such as a 3.5-inch touchscreen, 1400mAH battery and high-resolution camera. On the software-front, the device will include Baidu's cloud storage service, Baidu Music, Baidu Maps and various apps.
In previous reports, Baidu CEO Robin Li said the company had earmarked mobile as an important growth channel.
According to zol.com.cn, Baidu had been making headway in the mobile Internet space since the launch of its mobile OS. The company set up a developer center, Web storage service and cloud-synced contact list service, among others.
Last September, Baidu announced a partnership with U.S. hardware maker, Dell, to develop tablets and smartphones based on its Yi OS. In late-December, Dell launched a 2,999 RMB smartphone (US$474) for the Chinese market.
