Google finally confirmed their interest in the mobile phone market a few days ago with the admission of work being done on free software to power them. Google has brought together around 34 companies under the Open Handset Alliance to provide service for Google’s Android mobile phone software.
Confirming it’s long rumored foray into the mobile market, Google said it was developing the free cell phone software package so that it could more easily peddle ads and services to those of us not in front of a computer.
While this did confirm Google’s interest in the cell phone market, the first phones loaded with Google’s software won’t be ready for release until the middle of next year sometime. The search engine giant won’t be making the phones but has entered into an agreement with four cell phone manufacturers who have agreed to use Google’s software in the devices. Users will have to buy new phones to use the new software as no other cell phone provider will be adding it to date.
This is going to bring cell phone technology a wake-up call and possibly give the big guns like Microsoft, RIM, Palm and Symbian something to worry about as they are the main providers of technology for cell phone manufacturers. Seeing as they charge the manufacturers to use their cell phone operating systems and Google’s will be free, this could undercut Google’s rivals significantly. This new free technology also promises to make smart phones less expensive as the manufacturers won’t have to pay for the software anymore if they choose to go with Google’s. Many have already joined the alliance.
Motorola, Samsung, HTC and LG have agreed to use Google’s new software in some of their phones. Motorola and Samsung already buy Microsoft’s software for use in some of their phones. This may change in the future as this new open source software for cell phones matures and shows it’s stuff.
Among the wireless carriers that have joined with Google in their alliance and have agreed to provide service for the open software phone are Sprint Nextel Corp. and T-Mobile in the U.S. Abroad, the carriers include China Mobile, Spain’s Telefonica, Telecom Italia.
Other key players to date include major chip makers like Intel, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, Broadcom and Nvidia.
This bodes well for us consumers who are tired of high prices and long contracts for phones that lose value fast (such as the iPhone and Samsung Sync). That plus open source software has already made a name for itself as a dependable alternative to closed source software like Windows.
I myself am looking forward to Google’s march into the cell phone market. New blood often times makes for a much better product.
