Google recognizes the importance of China when it comes to market revenues as a business with the country would mean winning over millions of possible clients. But the country has strict parameters which international businesses are sometimes found unable to abide to, which then leaves them kneecapped in the country.
For Google, investing on Chinese startup Mobvoi may mean a more solid market in Chinese soil. The three-year old company is Google's partner for Android Wear, the operating system for popular smartwatches, in China. Mobvoi, on the other hand, has received a significant investment from the California company. Tech Crunch puts the amount at about US$60-65 million.
Mobvoi is an artificial intelligence company which is known to specialize in voice commands. The company is founded by ex-Google research scientists in Google US. Zhifei Li, the company's CEO, said that Mobvoi is heavily influenced by Google and that the company has been using the Google system since it has been established. "We wanted to have same culture and team values. The co-operation [on bringing Android Wear to China] went really well... and [Google] showed interest and decided to make an investment."
This, however, does not mean that Mobvoi will be rebuilding the Google business in China. Li clarified that Google is a minority investor and valued partner, but Mobvoi will stay focused on its products. "We're not changing what we've planned, but there are definitely more opportunities [that will open up]." Li said of the new investment. Google said it "has nothing to announce" regarding possible plans of expanding the partnership with Mobvoi.
Mobvoi is known for a making Chumenwenwen, a mobile voice assistant, which works similarly to Google Now and Siri. The company also has its own smartwatch, TicWatch. The company has come up with a ROM called Ticwear to pair with Android Wear.
