Android to cause 'explosion of new phone makers'

The Astonishing Tribe, a member of the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) that is partiallly responsible for creating the new Android mobile platform, predicts that it will "lower the bar for developers".

Co-founder Hampus Jakobsson told TechRadar that he believes the new platform will shake up the mobile market.

"There will be an explosion of new phone manufacturers," he said. "This is going to be really positive, especially from a user's point of view.

"The actual building of the phone is simple, as it has become more commoditised over the years. The trick is getting the phone to appeal to the target audience.

"Android and the OHA will enable more companies to do that. Members of the group include not only manufacturers, but silicon vendors, UI builders, all the people someone would need to help build a device."

Android aid

Jakobsson also believes that Android will enable these new companies to more effectively target their desired audiences, as the mobile phone evolves from a standard device into a more universal unit.

"Phones now are bound by the platform they run," he added. "This propagates all the way up through the phone menus."

Jakobsson also hinted at the future of mobile phones, perhaps the influence Android might have on the mobile market.

"The UI should be less visible and have more influence," he said. "We're going to see a lot of invisible interaction, such as mobile payment on the subway. Users are going to be looking at the screen less."