Google fighting China over the search market is one thing. But in getting into a fight with the Chinese government it has not only stuffed the largest search market potential in the world. It has put in jeopardy its tentative grip on the cellphone market in a nation where staggering growth in mobile search is expected.
Google is nearly tied for first with Baidu for market share in China’s mobile-search sector. Thus by making its mobile-search sector fight so public it risks its toehold in the world’s largest cellphone market.
The US technology giant has been providing Chinese handset manufacturers its Android operating system for free in the hopes of getting a solid base. For in China in the future more people are expected to access the internet on mobile phones than on desktop computers.
Analysts say the Chinese government could pressure partners to sever ties with the company.
Los Angeles Times reported UCLA business professor Christopher Tang said, "By leaving China now, Google may have lost out on these other potential opportunities."
Google recently said it would delay rolling out in China mobile applications that run on Android phones after its Chinese partners came under government pressure to pull out of deals with Google.