While many commentators have focused on Android’s potential for upsetting the balance of Windows Mobile, Palm and BlackBerry handsets in Europe and the US, the platform - backed by Google and the numerous other members of the Open Handset Alliance - is turning heads among Asia’s cellphone developers with its potential to bring new, internet-enabled functionality to emerging markets.  Analyst Aloysius Choong, of IDC Asia-Pacific, cites the Google brand-name as key attraction to users fresh to cellphones.  Simultaneously, the platform’s power and flexibility could also be a strong lure to existing, more demanding users, for whom Asia’s cost-effective and prevalent high-speed data access has led to increased reliance on web-enabled devices.

“Asian users typically have higher demands. As we move toward 3.5G, especially with fixed-rate data service plans, more will get onboard the mobile Internet platform.  The more you use your phone [to access the] Internet, the more you expect in terms of extensibility, power and customizability”Aloysius Choong, IDC Asia-Pacific

Many have speculated that Asia will be the next big market for cellphone development, with huge numbers of potential consumers in China and elsewhere looking to pick up their first device.  HTC are intending to release Android-powered handsets in the US first, followed by Asia, while WNC displayed a mid-range smartphone at CES 2008 that PHONE Mag were told would get the Android OS sometime this year.

Nonetheless, the strong showing that some expected at CES failed to materialise, with neither Google nor Android making particular waves in the cellular sector.  Instead, the Mobile World Congress in February could be used as an opportunity to reject the rumors that developers are falling behind thanks to flaky SDK performance.

[via Business Week]