Motorola taps Bing search for Android phones in China

Motorola announced an agreement with Microsoft to deploy the software giant's Bing search and mapping services across Android-powered smartphones sold in the Chinese market, eschewing Android creator Google's own mobile search engine in the process. The move follows in the wake of a censorship dispute between Google and Chinese officials, with speculation Google could withdraw its services from the country--Reuters reports that according to analysts, offering search alternatives on Android devices effectively reduces Motorola's dependence on Google, in China or elsewhere. Motorola earlier offered Chinese consumers the option to select Baidu as their primary Android search service.

Earlier this month, the Motorola Backflip--the first AT&T smartphone based on the Android mobile operating system--hit stores with Yahoo as its default mobile search engine instead of Google. Most if not all previous Android devices launched in the U.S. have arrived at retail with Google installed as the default search option. Days later, T-Mobile USA instituted Google as the default search engine across its handsets, replacing longtime search partner Yahoo.

For more on the Motorola/Bing deal:
- read this Reuters article