In less than three years, it has become one of the most successful handset makers.
FORBES: Chinese VCs On Midas List Upbeat Despite Slow Growth Fears
He notes that the trend is carving a new winner's circle among handset makers.
Apple's taking its fight to other Android handset makers, too, many of which are retaliating.
So if innovation isn't to be found among the handset makers, where is it?
Bell says the reception Intel has been getting from handset makers has been improving.
FORBES: Intel: Taking Another Swing At The Mobile Processor Market (VIDEO)
Yet Japanese handset makers have never enjoyed much success in selling their spectacular products abroad.
If handset makers go looking for an OS alternative, Microsoft Phone 8 is the most obvious choice.
The handset makers and the carriers each want to customize Android before they release it to users.
While Nokia continues to stumble in the U.S., other handset makers are aggressively moving ahead with new smartphones.
Handset makers working with open-source operating systems like Android only have three ways to customize phones, notes Greengart.
"HTC is much more flexible and easy to work with, " Chou says, contrasting his company with other handset makers.
That should encourage carriers to support the devices, which, in turn, will drive handset makers to partner with TI.
FORBES: TI Says Pico Projectors Poised For Mobile Phone Resurgence
The flip side of that call: weaker financial results for the handset makers.
FORBES: Credit Suisse Ups AT&T, VZ Ratings, Trims Apple, RIM Ests; Carriers Get Tough On Subsidies
Android handset makers are increasingly going above and beyond with their devices, competing against both Apple and each other.
Kingsley offers some solutions: work closely with select OEMs and carriers, or bypass carriers in favor of handset makers.
The comparison suggested handset makers that use Android, such as HTC Corp.
Patent dispute experts said that other handset makers may now fall in line.
BBC: ITC judge: Motorola Mobility infringed Microsoft patent
Many handset makers collaborate with so-called "gifting companies" that host suites at marquis events filled with gratis products for celebrities.
That means it needs a lot of partners: handset makers, software makers, application makers, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Global Insight's Obiodu added that handset makers simply weren't coming up with models that were enticing consumers, and singled out Motorola.
Handset makers that run Android, including HTC, Samsung and Motorola, have each been the subject of lawsuits from Apple over patent disputes.
There's a new product on the block in the cellphone chip market that's hoping it can snag some mindshare among handset makers.
ENGADGET: Sandbridge Technologies develops programmable cellphone chip
All but the most accident-prone handset makers have stopped bleeding red ink.
The U.S. smartphone market is extremely crucial for handset makers since success here generally translates into positive consumer sentiment in other markets.
FORBES: Nokia Ready For Holiday Assault As AT&T And Verizon Launch Lumia WP8
It has forged partnerships with handset makers such as HTC Corp.
He says four of the five largest handset makers will make Android phones--a hint that Sony Ericsson has signed on or soon will.
Symbian was formed by the leading handset makers, but it's unclear whether Sony's new development efforts with Matsushita will affect the Symbian relationship.
Mr Levy said Digit Wireless was talking to other handset makers and expected to see Fastap used in several phones released in 2003.
Handset makers such as Samsung and Micromax use technologies that are mostly owned by other companies to build their own cellphones and devices.
What if Android handset makers ended up having to spend a significant amount paying Apple and Microsoft (MSFT) per handset due to patent infringement?
应用推荐