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Acer cowers to Google, nixes unveiling event for Aliyun OS-powered smartphone?

Aliyun OS

Google apparently likes to play hardball.

A new report from the Dow Jones Newswire today asserted that Mountain View, Calif.-based Google pressured Acer into abruptly canceling a launch event for the CloudMobile A800 smartphone because it runs the Aliyun mobile operating system.

Chinese Internet giant Alibaba developed the Linux-based OS—dubbed the aspiring “Android of China.” Acer intended to unveil a smartphone powered by the alternative OS today, but the Taiwan-based manufacturer called off its event after submitting to coercion from Google.

Alibaba specifically told the Dow Jones Newswire that Acer was “notified by Google that if the product runs Aliyun OS, Google will terminate its Android- related cooperation and other technology licensing with our partner…”

Despite Alibaba’s claim, an unidentified official at Acer told the Down Jones Newswire, “Acer will continue to communicate with Google and the company still wants to launch the new smartphone based on Alibaba software.”

9to5Google contacted Google for a comment; we will update when more information is known.

[via CNET; image via AndroidAuthority]

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