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Comment by _Understated_ | Hacker News Reader

I wonder at what point it makes sense for Samsung, HP, Huawei, LG etc. to get together to make another OS... they sell a lot of phones across the globe.

Hell, even include Microsoft in there too.

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If those companies were interested in investing the billions required for such a venture, they wouldn’t have gotten into this situation in the first place.

I don't think it's that. After network effects kick in, the chances for creating a viable OS are extremely slim. They could have invested three times what Google has invested in Android and still fail.

Almost 3 billion people will be online in India and China alone, and they aren't strongly interested in sharing domestic private data with foreign entities (Facebook, Google, Apple).

Creating another OS seems like an inevitability.

I'm wondering whether it would make sense for the Chinese government to sponsor a phone OS. That would take care of the collective action problem a single manufacturer would face, would make it harder for other countries to employ the strong arm tactics current used with Android, and would help the Chinese government enforce their own censorship and surveillance priorities.

windows Phone was a viable OS and none of them jumped in completely. I don't see collaboration happening now. It's still more profitable to play ball with Google and profit from Android.

why would Samsung or LG want to partner with Huawei?

Why not? Microsoft and Google partner on TypeScript. Sony and Microsoft are partnering in online gaming. Many of the automakers have partnerships with each other for supplying engines and/or transmissions... sometimes they even build complete vehicles for both manufacturers: Chrysler/VW, BMW/Toyota, GM/Toyota, Chrysler/Mazda. Sometimes there are good reasons to work with your competitors.

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