Sprint Nextel Corp. is joining forces with Google Inc. and a consortium of dozens of other companies to develop a new technology for mobile phones.
The Open Handset Alliance is developing a system named Android that is intended to make it easier to offer new services to the nation's cell phone consumers.
'Sprint realizes that to grow the mobile marketplace and fully exploit the amazing potential of mobile communications, we have to empower rather than restrict wireless users,' John Garcia, Sprint's senior vice president of product development, said in a release. 'And the best way to do this is to create an environment that encourages the development of innovative products and services that customers can't live without. Android will be just such an environment, and Sprint is yet again at the forefront in mobile innovation.'
Other companies involved in the initiative include Deutsche Telekom, the parent company of T-Mobile, HTC Corp., Qualcomm and Motorola, Inc.
The alliance will make available a software developer kit that will allow technology specialists to create new mobile phone services. New phones and services using the Android system are expected to be available during the second half of next year.
At midday, Sprint shares were trading at $17.04, down 11 cents. Google was at $724.60, up $13.35.
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