Internet giant Google's offering for the mobile phones -- the Android platform -- is aimed at increasing the mobile penetration in emerging markets, as the number of personalized cell phones is higher than PC penetration.
The technology will drive low-cost handsets, thus making communication cheaper and affordable with the advantages of Web 2.0.
Affordable communication
Android, the Java over Linux platform, is not just a mobile platform, but much more than that. According to Andy Rubin, director for Mobile Platforms at Google Inc., Android is the first step in making the software for mobile phones much affordable than the legacy systems.
"Android will enable better Internet user experience. Though the handset prices have come down phenomenally due to the mass production in China and Taiwan, cell phones are still a costly proposition, as majority of the cost is involved in the software platform," he said.
With the platform being made available for the developer community from next week, Google expects an Internet-ready smart-phone to cost about $100-150 in the next couple of years.
Web 2.0 to Mobile 2.0
Google, which shot to fame with its innovative products and solutions in the Web space, aims to replicate its success in the next phase through the convergence of the cell phone and the Internet.
"Android will be the world's first mass-up platform for the mobile segment. This will bridge the island between the Internet and the mobile phone," Rubin told CyberMedia News during a conference call from the US.
"People want to communicate with mobile phones, they want to be connected with their social and community networks. The complete web-browser experience is missing and Android will fill the gap," he asserted.
Google acquired Android in 2005. Palo Alto-based Android was just 22-months-old when Google acquired it. Incidentally, Rubin, who founded Android, had also worked with Apple.
Power of partnership
When asked about its competitors in the mobile space, namely Microsoft and Nokia, Rubin pointed out the issue of Apache Portable Runtime (APR). "The opening of the APR alone by the two companies does not help the industry, as no differentiated services can be built by the developer community. However, through the Open Handset Alliance, the codes for building the killer-applications on Android is made available," he added.
And that"s only one part of the story! The developers will have the say in building the next generation applications on the Android platform, with HTC launching the first series of mobile phones in the second half of next year.
Apart from the developer community, Google has also ensured that it is a win-win game for all stakeholders in the mobile business. "We will be interacting with each one of our partners who have been segregated as five categories: semiconductor companies, content providers, service providers, mobile phone manufacturers and developers -- through the Open Handset Alliance (OHA). The only criterion for our partnership is that the partners should contribute something for the development of the applications," Rubin said.
Through the OHA, in which Google has 33 members, the Internet-major has ensured that all the stakeholders are involved in the final building of applications, and hence making the software is more user-friendly.
The members featuring in the OHA are T-Mobile, manufacturers such as HTC, Qualcomm, and Motorola along with Nvidia, eBay and Texas Instruments. Nokia, Symbian, Microsoft, Apple, Red Hat, Sun Microsystems, Verizon, AT&T, SAP, Sybase and Oracle have so far dissociated themselves from the OHA.
Symbian, Microsoft and Apple were unison in their opinion that Android does not pose a threat to their operating systems. Nokia too, seconded the view. Finnish giant Nokia holds 47.9 percent in Symbian, the leader in mobile device operating systems.
A million G-phones
Rubin did not rule out Google phone or the G-phone being rolled out in future. However, he said that if and when the G-phone is launched, Android will be the first and best choice.
"We are not announcing G-phone, but when a G-phone is built on this, it will be so open and so sensible, very different, innovation, and Android will be the best choice. However, through the Open Handset Alliance, it is not just building a single G-Phone but a million G-phones," he said.