Google is looking to ramp up Android sales with the introduction of entry-level phones in India and China, according to engineering vice-president Andy Rubin.
Rubin has told reporters in India and China in the last week that the company was also seeking to work closely with developers in the two huge Asian markets.
Google’s partners Huawei and LG Electronics are building Android devices, while China’s legion of small handset OEMs – who account for 10% of global handset sales - are also keen adopters of the platform, Chinese website Sohu reports.
With 69% of Android sales so far in the US market, Rubin says the company aims to expand its footprint into Asia and Europe.
He said Google would offer Indian and Chinese developers tools that assist them in expand their revenue streams away from mobile ads. For example, eBay had already provided an Android version of its PayPal system to support software sales and in-app payments, he said.
US blogsite Engadget has reported that the first Huawei Android phone, based on the new Android 2.2 platform, is likely to launch in August.
Huawei began shipping its Android-powered SmaKit S7 tablet in March.
Separately, following weak sales of the first Google handset, the Nexus One, CEO Eric Schmidt revealed last week the company had no plans to make another phone.
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