Baidu Chases Google In Mobile Market

Google’s determined not to lose in China, and to that end, the company is beginning to focus much of its energy on the mobile market.  Unfortunately (for Google), so is Baidu.

Baidu has already beaten Google in terms of mainstream, computer-based search; despite some clever tricks on Google’s part, the Chinese company’s lead looks pretty much insurmountable.  So, less than three weeks ago, Google China’s Kai-Fu Lee announced that his people would concentrate on mobile markets.

Now, Dan Nystedt reports, “Baidu is already working with China Mobile and China Netcom Group on new services for the launch of 3G in China next year, said Alan Zhang, business development leader at Baidu . . .”

Nystedt then continues, “He declined to elaborate on new applications in the works, but said the current WAP portal would be important to Baidu’s 3G efforts.”

And whatever Chinese word translates to “crap,” it’s likely that a bunch of overseas Googlers are saying it right now.  It’s not inevitable that Google will lose this battle, though, so as things development, we’ll dutifully report updates and stats back to you.