On Friday, Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office reached the decision not to pursue claims that Daum (Korean internet search specialist) and Google, actively collected illegal data of smartphone users.

Yonhap News reports that the legal challenge did uncover that Google and Daum were collecting location data, but this was only the position of the user and not any further details about them.

This comes as news from the US shows that Carrier IQ could be reporting information back to companies who want to learn about a smartphone or device users specific actions including messaging and keystrokes.

Admob was the accused platform:

It was thought that Admob was the platform that could have been reporting user data back to Google. Earlier in the year the offices of Google were raided by Seoul police in order to secure hard drives and learn more about how the Admob platform was being used.

GPS coordinates OK but not personal information:

One prosecutor admitted that it would be tough to use a smartphones IP address as people moved around suggesting that it was OK to obtain location data through GPS but nothing more than this.

Deeper murky waters:

In news related to the relationship between Daum and Google, it has become apparent that Daum was also separately cleared of capturing data this Friday, after law enforcers also raided their offices in May.

Google also have other pressing issues with the Korean law agencies, as they are accused of blocking and banning search rivals from including third-party applications on Android handsets.

Finally South Koreans can rejoice in gaining access to the full Android game market now that the service has gone fully live in the 2nd largest market for the consumption of Android devices and technology.

So why so long?

Blame can pretty much rest on the South Korean government for the lack of game apps on the Android marketplace in South Korea, as they have historically required all mobile application games to be checked over and audited by the GRB (Game rating board) where a strict set of criteria had to be satisfied, this was met with Apple removing iOS games until recently and Android taking the same stance. Now that the South Korean Government have relaxed this rule the markets are well and truly open again where games are concerned for both platforms.

Developers must check South Korea box now:

This will open up a huge market for the developers of applications and so dev’s submitting apps need to tick the South Korea box option to ensure their work is available in this new market.

Koreans love a good game:

This market is such a crucial money maker for both Apple and Google that both companies will be pleased that this change has come into effect and developers for both platforms will also be feeling quietly confident that their bank balance should see an improved sum as more and more games are consumed in this huge market.

Has the lack of games on your devices default marketplace proved an issue for you in South Korea? Or have you simply gone to other more flexible marketplaces such as GetJar to get your fix of Android and iOS games?

In a move that many will see as meddling with capitalist economics, the government of South Korea has been in talks with Samsung and LG, two of it’s home grown heroes in the electronics industry, and has made it known that it encourages both companies to stop relying on the Google owned Android O/S for their tablet and smartphones based on a number of reasons:

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• Google’s recent acquisition of Motorola Mobility puts them in direct competition with Samsung and LG on a manufacturing basis
• Apples battle with Google over the Android O/S could mean issues long term
• Over dependence on a third party O/S poses obvious dangers

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Government-backed consortium to create alternative to Android

In a move that will create serious concern among both Google and manufacturers like HTC who utilise the Android O/S, the South Korean government have stated that they wish to form a consortium that can work together to provide an alternative to the Android O/S for manufacturers such as LG and Samsung so they can be less in Google’s pocket when it comes to the brains behind the tablets and smartphones that they manufacture.

Are South Korea wise to upset the US markets, consumers and business in general:

While South Korea can lay claim to the worlds second and third largest makers of mobile devices in Samsung and LG, their growth has been helped in many ways by both the universities of the US and in some cases the slavish copying of design and technology that has been developed and patented in the US (or so Apple would have us all believe)

So is it wise that they start to upset a pretty large apple cart even further, pun intended.

In the plan announced by the deputy commerce minister at the “ministry of the knowledge economy” a guy named Kim Jae-hong it appears that they see long term issues with using a third party O/S and went on to state:

“In the long term, we cannot go on like this by solely relying on Google,”

Both Samsung and LG have noted that all talks are in their formative stages but both appear to be willing to at least listen to proposals.

Samsung to delay Australian launch of Galaxy tab 10.1:

It appears that Samsung will delay the launch of their new tablet in Australia until the last week in September after they have heard the outcome of the hearing that is taking place related to the patent issues that Apple are fighting hard for. Though it has to be stated there is no actual injunction against the sale currently in Australia. This is in stark contrast to many parts of Europe which have seen bans on Samsung products placed in Germany, Holland, the UK and much of Europe as a result of the international nature of the courts that the patent issues have taken place. In the case of the Galaxy tab 10.1 it has been noted that the ban has since been temporarily lifted in many countries and in the recent Samsung smartphone patent issue it appears that the issue should get resolved on time before the injunction actually kicks in stopping sales and marketing in many large European countries. (if Samsung do manage to appease the courts in what they alter).

“Following today’s hearing in the Federal Court of Australia, Samsung has agreed to delay the launch of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 pending the court’s decision in the week commencing 26 September, 2011. It should be noted that the court has not issued an injunction against the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1, and the court did not make any ruling during today’s hearing.”

Samsung is to retaliate with more of it’s own patent claims against Apple in the Australia Federal Court.

it really has been quite a month for the mobile industry, we have seen takeovers of monumental size and meaning, litigation fever and one enormous beast lie down and bow out of the PC and mobile device manufacturing process altogether.

What do you make of Google’s Android O/S currently? Could it be under threat from Windows 7 and 8 O/S and even a potential newcomer to the mobile operating system world from a number of potential developers, including a South Korean lead government initiative?