New York: Google said it will offer new software to make internet browsing on mobile phones easier for users and similar to browsing through computers.
Google said it would start next week by allowing independent designers to work on the software, known as Android.
Since the software is free, it could lead to cheaper phones and operators may pass along savings to customers through phone subsidies or lower monthly fees, said Andy Rubin, Google's director of mobile platforms.
"This is going to bring the internet into cell phones in a very cool way," said Rubin said. Google-based phones are due to appear in the second half of 2008.
The firm is working with four mobile manufacturers—Samsung, HTC, Motorola and LG—but Google said it has no immediate plans to make its own phones.
Google said Android does not differentiate between a phone's core functions—typically pre-installed—and any independently created applications added by customers later.
Rubin, a veteran Silicon Valley gadget designer, said Android would also work offline, allowing air travelers to check address books mid-flight.
