BEIJING (MarketWatch) -- Chinese search engine Baidu Inc. /quotes/zigman/97715/quotes/nls/bidu BIDU -2.66% announced Friday a platform based on Google Inc.'s /quotes/zigman/93888/quotes/nls/goog GOOG -1.44% Android operating system designed to assist outside software developers built applications for distribution, including on Baidu's website.

Baidu also announced a new homepage design with added features, including an area for app downloads, it said in a statement.

The moves come as Baidu--which has a wide lead over Google in China's online search market--continues to boost search traffic and expand its offerings outside of search.