SK Telecom to launch over 12 Android phones in S. Korea

By Lee Youkyung
SEOUL, Jan. 6 (Yonhap) -- SK Telecom Co., South Korea's top mobile operator, said
Wednesday that it will introduce 12 more smartphone models based on Google Inc.'s
Android operating system next month, pitting itself against Apple Inc.'s iPhone
brought by its local rival last year.

South Korea's smartphone users are expected to see a wider variety of choices
this year, with the launch of Android phones in the local market in February.
SK's local rival KT Corp., the second-biggest mobile operator, brought the iPhone
to the local market in December last year.
SK Telecom's first model running an Android system will be manufactured by
Motorola Inc. while other domestic and overseas handset makers such as Samsung
Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. will provide around 10 Android models, SK
said in a release.
Android is an operating system for smartphones introduced by Google in 2007.
Smartphones, which have remote access to wireless Internet and allow Web surfing
unlike traditional mobile handset devices, require operating systems such as
currently available Windows Mobile and Nokia's Symbian.
SK added that it will invite application developers to create smartphone
applications that could be added to its upcoming Android models.
ylee@yna.co.kr
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