China Unicom dumps Google
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We told you that Google’s mobile partners in China were under pressure to dump the Internet giant after it defied Beijing.
The dumping has begun.
China Unicom is the latest to abandon Google. The Financial Times reports that the telecommunications carrier will jettison Google search and other services from Android smart phones.
“We are willing to work with any company that abides by Chinese law,” said Unicom’s president, Lu Yimin. “We don’t have any cooperation with Google currently.”
As we point out, Google may not have been the king of search in China, but it was doing quite well, in the world’s largest mobile market.
Other partners who no longer are doing business with Google include portal Tom.com and online forum Tianya, which Google has a stake in.
Next up? Likely China Mobile, which would be a major hit for Google. The company has managed to match Baidu in mobile search in large part thanks to that relationship.
-- Jessica Guynn