Google Inc. is set to offer its free Android mobile-phone operating system for computers, opening a new front in its rivalry with Microsoft Corp. by challenging the dominance of the company's Windows software.
Acer Inc., the world's second- largest laptop maker, will release a low-cost notebook powered by Android next quarter, said Jim Wong, head of information-technology products at the Taipei-based company.
Asustek Computer Inc., pioneer of the sub-$500 laptops known as netbooks, also has developed a model that runs on Google's software, chairman Jonney Shih said.
The adoption of Android-based netbooks may eat into Windows' share of about 90 percent worldwide for personal-computer operating systems.
Google's move escalates pressure on Microsoft as it prepares to introduce Windows 7, said Calvin Huang, an analyst at Daiwa Securities Group Inc.
"This is a negative and may force Microsoft to lower the price of Windows 7," said Huang, who covers the computer industry from Taipei. "More and more vendors are adopting Android and non-Windows in their products, so this is a very good chance for Android to penetrate the PC market."
