Alibaba invests US$590m in Meizu for mobile OS push

Alibaba Group has announced an investment of US$590 million in Chinese smartphone manufacturer Meizu, acquiring a minority stake in the company.A statement by the group said the group and Meizu will collaborate to further integrate Meizu’s hardware with Alibaba's mobile operating system.The group will support Meizu with eCommerce, mobile Internet, mobile OS and data analysis resources to help the manufacturer develop its smartphone ecosystem.Alibaba's online marketplaces will also become distribution channels for its smartphones and mobile devices.Jian Wang, chief technology officer at Alibaba Group, said, "The investment in Meizu represents a significant expansion of the Alibaba Group ecosystem and an important step in our overall mobile strategy."The partnership follows the group's announcement in October that Meizu smartphones will start using the group's YunOS and the first YunOS Meizu smartphone was launched in November.[Image]: Shutterstock