Phones (10620)

Google postpones Chinese phone launch

Two Android handsets delayed as censorship row continues

19 January 2010 14:25 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

Google will delay launching two new mobiles phones into the Chinese market as a direct result of the current tensions between the internet giant and communist country's government.

Following the attacks on Google Gmail accounts belonging to human rights activists, thought to have originated in China, and Google's assertions that it might not be willing to bow to China's demands any longer, it seems the phone launch's timing is not the best.

Google was due to launch two Android-based handsets - one from Motorola and one from Samsung - with Chinese operator China Unicom on Wednesday.

"The launch we have been working on with China Unicom has been postponed," the BBC quotes a Google spokesperson stating.

Full tags

Phones, Mobile phone industry, Google, China, China Unicom, Samsung, Motorola, Biz