For months Google has been mum about the release of their Google phone. Tech blogs and news are all full of “information” of what Google Phone would be. Some were expecting an iPhone-like mobile phone that offers a wide variety of services and access to Google’s popular online services. There are also reputable bloggers reporting that Google is working with a telecom company as it will be the sole provider of Google enhanced phone. The move is much like iPhone’s deal with AT&T, bringing fears that Google might be exclusive online with only a handful of mobile phones. We waited for the word and honestly: the announced surprised and made me happy at the same time.
It’s true that Google were in talks with a telecom provider but apparently they were also talking to other companies as well. The talk is not for gauging who has the best deal but the talk is to convince them to join the alliance. Google has announced recently that it will be working with different mobile corporations to start what Google calls the “Open Handset Alliance.” Open Handset Alliance is a group of telecom giants such as LG, Motorola and Sprint Nextel that will offer additional software from Google. This will be an open source project so each company will be making their own program. Independent developers can also create programs for mobile phones.
This open source project will be done in Google framework made for mobile phones called Android. We all thought that “Android” will be the name of the operating system for Google Phone; now it has become the stage where different programs will be developed. This program will be released in an open-source license. The platform will be free for every developer to push for better technology in mobile phones. Phone makers and telecom industries will also be working double time to provide this type of software from Google.
But don’t jump for joy yet. The announcement is still an announcement and not the launch. You won’t see some of the Google products made for your phone until the second half of 2008. Even with the extensive and impressive list of companies who signed up to join, there are also players in the industry that’s not there.
Google was apparently waiting for the right moment to give this announcement. They spearheaded this project just weeks when they announced the creation of Open Social – another platform for creating widgets that can be launched not only in one social networking websites but all members of the Open Social Group.
So Google has chosen a different path compared to iPhone. We don’t know yet if this alliance between phone companies will be enough to sway some iPhone users, but it’s definitely a good start. Google doesn’t need to focus on one company; they can focus on different companies without even a glitch. When Google enabled phones is released, it will be the start of the mobile software wars between the AJAX enabled iPhone and Google enabled mobile phones.
