On why Android makes way more sense than Google Phone

There has been a lot of talk about whether or not Google has done the right thing by developing Android. Some say developing its own phone, the so-called Google phone, would have been a better idea. Some say Android is the better idea. Now, where do I stand in this issue?

It’s very simple. Android is Google’s best chance to dominate the mobile world. The reason is very, very obvious. Just think - How did Google become the top dog in the internet? By serving ads to websites all over the world. In other words, Google made everyone use their service.

Now, think of the same scenario here in the mobile world. Instead of creating a phone which can only be used by so many users, Google has come up with a mobile platform which has the potential to reach hundreds of millions of users all over the world. Android is capable of reaching a wide range of operators and users all over the world and this is exactly the route to Google’s success in the mobile world.

With Android, operators will find it easier to make their subscribers use mobile internet as that is where the revenue is. The more the number of users that use mobile internet, the more money it will be for Google, as it will be serving ads through Android. In other words, Android will help Google replicate its online success in the mobile world.

Remember – it’s a market of over a billion users out there. There’s plenty of fish in the sea. Google, in my opinion, has both the experience and the expertise to pull it off in the mobile world, just like they did in the online world. So, wait and watch.

Categories: Google.

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Motorola - the road ahead

The story of Motorola is something that has always amazed me. I mean, a profit of over $340 million in one year and a loss of over $380 million the next year is something I cannot understand.

The mobile phone giant has posted monumental losses for four quarters in a row now, which has made its investors think twice about its future. A lot of investors are pushing Motorola to sell its mobile phone manufacturing unit, as they consider it a liability. The mobile phone biz alone, if sold, could fetch a sum of around $20 billion, according to sources.

Some big names, especially some companies from Asia, are interested in buying Motorola’s mobile phone unit. However, it’s not just about mobile phone companies. People who watch the market closely say that even a company like Google might consider Motorola a good option. Google, instead of asking other companies to incorporate its platform, can come up with its own range of Android based mobile phones if it decides to buy Motorola. However, I have to say it’s a far fetched idea, as Google may not have any such idea, at least in the near future. Google doesn’t like to identify itself as a mobile phone company, as its core revenue is based on advertising - which is the primary reason why it came up with Android, a mobile phone platform, instead of Google phone, unlike what most of us had predicted.

One thing’s for sure. Motorola is struggling. Whether it will reinvent itself with a stunning model like RAZR to reestablish its position in the market or sell its mobile phone biz to someone is something we’ll have to wait and watch.

Categories: All things mobile phones.

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Cellphone advertising in 2007 - A review

2007 is almost over and we’re eagerly expecting the arrival of the New Year. So, it’s that time of the year when people look back at their silly mistakes, achievements (if any), resolutions they made, and all other useless stuff. I’m not gonna do any of them; don’t worry. Instead, I’m gonna look back at the cellphone advertising and marketing industry and share some of my thoughts with you.

The single biggest event that changed the course of the cellphone advertising and marketing industry was the launch of the Apple iPhone. It was more than just a phone and the truckload of features made it a favorite with users instantly. At a time when cellphone advertisers were thinking about advertising via text messaging and banner ads, the Wi-Fi enabled iPhone offered them a hell lot of options. Interestingly, iPhone is not the only phone in the market with such features. Blackberry, AT & T and T-Mobile Network phones, and a few models from Nokia also have Wi-Fi facility and other features that the iPhone boasts of. But the most important difference was in the way Apple marketed their product. The enormous hype created before the launch of iPhone was simply never heard of in the market before and thankfully, it lived up to the hype.

The second biggest event, in fact the one that almost outshone Apple iPhone was the launch of Google Android. Google had been timing the market to take the plunge for a long time and speculations were running wild. A lot of market experts and market watchers (including yours truly) had predicted that Google would come up with Google Phone, which could be the fitting answer for the iPhone. But when Google announced that it will not develop its own phone, at least in the near future, they had their foot firmly in their mouth. But Google Android proved out to be a bigger success, considering the buzz it created in the market. With its Open Handset Alliance with 30 plus big names, Google simply stole the show from the iPhone. I’ve already explained why Google Android could lead to the undoing of iPhone and it remains to be seen whether I’ll be proven wrong in 2008.

2007 could possibly go down as the most eventful year as far as cellphone advertising industry is concerned, as the year saw some major names like Microsoft, New York Times, Coca Cola, Facebook, MySpace, Fox Interactive Media, and of course Google enter the market in full fledge. Most of the industry experts and research firms predicted a huge growth for cellphone marketing and advertising industry whose revenue was estimated at around $1 billion. Also, it is said that in just about five years, this revenue could increase tenfold.

Also, 2007 was the year of acquisitions. Big players in the market realized the enormous potential of cellphone advertising and marketing and started acquiring cellphone advertising firms. We saw Nokia acquire Enpocket, AOL acquire Third Screen Media, Microsoft acquire ScreenTonic, Publicis acquire Phonevalley, and so on. This definitely marked the arrival of cellphone marketing and advertising in a big way.

Though 2007 is undoubtedly the biggest year for cellphone advertising, there are still some unconquered territories within the industry. First of all, mobile internet facility should be within the reach of the majority of consumers for advertisers and marketers to be able to reach them fully. A lot of companies have realized the potential of mobile websites and for consumers to be able to make the most of it, the price of high-end mobile phones should be brought down. Already, Apple has started the process with a hefty price cut on its iPhone and we can expect other handset makers to follow suit, hopefully. Also, thanks to mobile advertisers, the price of premium services has come down drastically and in a lot of cases, these services are available free of cost, thanks to ad-funded services. With some operators even offering free talk time to customers who opt in for cellphone advertising, I really think cellphone advertising has hit the target big-time. Its continued success though, lies only in the hands of operators, advertisers, and handset makers for they are in a position to lead the industry in the right direction next year.

Categories: Cell Phone Advertising.

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Google in 2007 - A review

2007 was a great year for websites, newspapers, magazines, and blogs, thanks to Google. Simply because, Google was one of the biggest newsmakers of 2007. Everyone knew Google was working on something which could make it a top contender in the cellphone advertising market and guessed it would be the so-called Google Phone. But then, it turned out to be Google Android, a mobile platform, which made headlines all over the world.

Especially, with so much hype surrounding Apple iPhone, Google was forced to come up with something that would not just take the attention away from the iPhone, but also change the market once and for all. Google Android was the perfect answer and the announcement made big news in the market. There were so many reasons behind the market’s excitement – it was Linux based, it was open-source, and it came at a time when Google was aiming for the FCC Auction for wireless spectrum in Jan 2008.

I’ve already stated why Google Android could be the welcome change the market needed and I think it has enormous potential to become the most-used mobile platform all over the world. Especially, with the alliance Google formed with 30 plus big names in the industry, they made sure everyone took notice.

Earlier this year, Google made a proposal to Verizon Wireless to have its search application and other things incorporated into their mobile phone, but Verizon refused due to their difference of opinion with Google in terms of the advertising revenue. It was at this point of time that the market was going wild with speculations that Google might become a carrier and might come up with its own phone and all that jazz. Thankfully, Google quickly put an end to all the speculations with its Android.

Also, there were speculations in the market that Google might even bid to lose in the FCC Auction, as the winner (which could be Verizon) is required to open its network with the competitors anyway. But considering Google’s interest in 700 MHz wireless spectrum, I’m not too sure if Google would actually do such a thing.

This year, Google also came up with the beta version for Mobile AdSense which can be used in mobile sites. A lot of Google’s applications went mobile this year, including YouTube which got incorporated in Apple iPhone.

Google made news with its every move this year and I have no reason to believe that next year would be any different. We’ll have more news on Android and Google’s mobile applications, as it tries to expand its dominance further in the cellphone advertising market.

Categories: Google.

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Google’s Linux-based, Open-Source Mobile OS - Android

Finally, the much awaited secret of the Google phone has been unveiled. It’s not exactly going to be a phone from Google, but rather an OS. Google has come up with the idea of an open source operating system for mobile phones, which it thinks could revolutionize the industry of mobile phone advertising.

Google’s open source platform for mobiles is called Android and for those who have been following Google’s moves in the past couple of years, this name could ring a bell somewhere. Android is a mobile software company which Google bought way back in 2005. So, after all the speculations and assumptions, it’s finally official – Google is ready with its new OS for mobiles – Android. Google has confirmed that the OS will be available in handsets probably by the second half of 2008.

This move is considered a very important one as far as mobile phone industry is concerned, as an open source platform could mean a lot for both the users and the manufacturers. Google has stated that it has built this platform to make mobile surfing a far superior and easier experience for the users. Although a lot of handsets today support browsing and email facility, it’s not as easy as surfing in a computer due to the inherent limitations that a mobile OS has. Google says its new OS will change the way people browse through their mobile phones. In short, it is confident that the new OS will make mobile surfing as easy and as interesting as surfing the web in a PC or laptop.

Android is a Linux-based, open source OS, so experts around the world can contribute their knowledge on the product and make it better – a move which has made a lot of handset makers to join hands with Google in this open source alliance. Though a lot of handsets support Java and allow users to surf net, the experience differs from handset to handset due to the differences in the mobile platform. So, if Google can make mobile browsing experience better, users would definitely want to use Android and this would compel the handset makers to produce handsets that support Android OS.

The way I see it, this move could be even bigger than Google phone, as it can cross all boundaries and has the potential to become a global success. I was one of the many millions of people who were expecting Google to come up with its “free” phone, but Google has come up with something which could mean a lot more for us, customers. What do you think would be the implications of this move? Could it concern Apple? Most importantly, are you for or against the open source platform of Google, Android?

Categories: Google.

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