After launching OpenSocial to compete against Facebook in the social networking industry, Google launched another alliance to provide free software to run mobile phones like open-source, Linux-based operating system, a Web browser, and a host of applications, including maps, e-mail, and video sharing and viewing applications. This alliance is known as Open Handset Alliance.

The Open Handset Alliance has some of the biggest names in the industry like Intel, Qualcomm, Motorola, T-Mobile, Sprint Nextel and eBay as its members. The Open Handset Alliance will develop a new platform known as Android and not GPhone, which was widely expected.

As the name suggested, Open Handset Alliance will allow programmers to provide a toolkit for programmers to develop mobile phone applications for Android phones. These applications will be sold to users through online stores.

This effort to set up such consortium for mobile phones is not the first time for the industry. Microsoft has done it for its Windows OS for mobile phones. Nokia setup a consortium for its Symbian operating system. There are about 22 flavors of Linux operating systems for mobile phones in the market.

Nokia is competing with its rival on a new ground. Nokia Music Store is introducing music and games download services which will rival iPhone.

With this new offering Nokia is offer value added service compared to other mobile phone makers and mobile phone network provider.

Nokia predicts that mobile phone will be an integrated device with capabilities for surfing the net, making calls, play music, play games, PDA, etc.

Nokia Music Store will provide this service under Nokia’s Ovi umbrella brand which gives users access to all Nokia’s online content and services. A track will cost 1 euro and games will cost between 6 and 10 euros.