Motorola may expand its Android development team from 50 to 350 members as it works to deploy the new open-source operating system on future phones, according to TechCrunch.  Not alone in its interest in Google's latest offering, Nokia and Verizon may also be interested in the platform, as the same source claims representatives were spotted at an Android developer conference. 

Given Nokia's recent purchase of Symbian, however, and the creation of the Symbian Foundation -- a group that combines the core Symbian OS, the Series-60 front-end, and the UIQ and MOAP platforms into a single front that promotes and encourages its use in cross-platform development -- it is likely the company is looking to understand the competition rather than join them. While Sony has also talked about replacing its Symbian-based UIQ operating system with Android, it is also the contributer of the UIQ platform to the Symbian Foundation, and has stated it is not in a position to switch to Android right now. 

As the mobile platform wars grow, Motorola's alleged investment in Android may result in a move away from its traditional use of UIQ, bolstering the Android community against the more mature Symbian groups and the popular iPhone OS.

 [Via Electronista]