Yahoo launches Chinese Go 2.0 for mobile phones

Yahoo has launched a traditional Chinese-language version of its Go 2.0 mobile phone software in Taiwan, which includes its oneSearch mobile search and several applications, including an address book, calendar, Flickr photos, weather, news, sports, and financial information.

The company also revealed nine new partnerships in Asia for oneSearch.

The deals highlight competition among Internet companies to increase their audiences around the world, and particularly in Asia, the fastest-growing market for mobile phone users. It’s also a sign of the push to localize, using languages and local content to draw in new users.

Anyone who wants traditional Chinese-language software and content on their handsets can download Yahoo’s Chinese Go 2.0 from the company’s Taiwan Web site or via their mobile phone browser.

The launch of the Chinese version of Go 2.0 in Taiwan raises to 14 the number of countries around the world with local-language versions of software. Other countries include Spain, Portugal, France, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

Yahoo also announced new partnerships to put its search technology on handsets for subscribers at Asian mobile operators including PCCW Mobile in Hong Kong, and Starhub in Singapore.

The companies will put Yahoo’s oneSearch on their mobile Internet search sites or on partner sites, and share advertising revenue, said Yahoo, in a statement.

Most of the new agreements came from companies in South Asia, including three operators from India–Aircel, BPL Mobile, and BSNL–three from Indonesia–Excelcom, Hutch 3, and Indosat–and DiGi Telecom from Malaysia.

The deals more than double the number of Asian operators pledging to use oneSearch. Yahoo had previously signed agreements with seven other operators in the region, including LG Telecom in Korea, Globe Telecom in the Philippines, SmarTone-Vodafone in Hong Kong, and Taiwan Mobile.