Li Ka-shing: New mobile operating system will rise

Li Ka-shing, Asia's richest man, is expected to have a third mobile operating system rise, which makes speculation that he may work with Samsung Electronics to help the latter develop its Tizen platform.

Li Ka-shing, 85, is often hailed as "Superman" in Hong Kong for his business skills and his record in discovering new trends. His business empire and Hutchison Whampoa Limited (Hutchison Whampoa Ltd., 0013.HK, abbreviation: Hutchison Whampoa) 's business covers a range of areas from telecommunications to ports and even hotels. Hutchison Whampoa operates in 52 countries and employs around 270,000 people worldwide.

In the past, Li Ka-shing has also made a high-profile investment in technology companies, most notably in 2007, Horizons Ventures, a personal technology investment arm, to invest 60 million dollars in Facebook Inc. The private investment unit has also invested in the online music service provider Spotify Ltd., the Tel Aviv social navigation Company Waze and the news-reading application company Summly.

When asked about the opportunities for technology investment and how to discover it, Li Ka-shing told the Southern Press media group Nanfang: "I like to keep up with the latest technology trends." I can also tell you that in addition to the iOS and Android Systems (Apple), there will soon be a new mobile OS coming out.

Hutchison Whampoa confirmed Mr Li's comments but declined to comment on the name of the new system and its potential cooperation with Samsung. Samsung Electronics declined to comment.

Although Li Ka-shing did not disclose more details of the new mobile operating system, many people think his comments suggest he is interested in the Tizen system. Samsung Electronics and Intel (Intel Corp.) Cooperation in the Tizen system has been ongoing for a long time. Tizen is a mobile operating system that is expected to contend with iOS and Android.

It is well known that Li Ka-shing and Samsung Electronics have a good relationship. Last year, Li Ka-shing met with Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Kun-hee in Hong Kong to explore ways to deepen partnerships in the areas of mobile phones, next-generation wireless technology and architecture.

The 3 group of Li Ka-Shing's Global telecommunications Unit provides services to about 76 million users in Italy, the UK, Sweden, Austria, Ireland and Hong Kong. The 3 group is not only a global mobile operator of Samsung's electronic smartphones, but also an operator of Apple's iphone.

(Responsible editor: Lu Guang)