BBC NEWS | Technology | Google's Android mobile unveiled

[Peter Korsten]

Andrew Robinson schreef:

> I'm left wondering what they get out of the whole project. If it's
> open source, it can't be much of an ongoing profit centre. Is it just
> them showing off that they can do better than Windows Mobile on their
> first go, and taking a stake in the phone OS market out of principle?

As someone who has been using desktop computers for the last 25 years, I 
can see the appeal of moving some applications to the mobile phone.

Not e-mail/forums or web browsing, I think a mobile will remain 
unsuitable for that because of the small screen, except for certain very 
specific applications, and specially designed web sites.

Unless, of course, somebody comes up with an idea to connect any 
screen/keyboard/pointing device combination to your mobile phone, in 
which case the use for a desktop computer will largely vanish. And in 
developing countries, I very much doubt they would bother with desktop 
computers, and move to smart phones right away.

However, there *is* a move from the traditional desktop towards smart 
phones, and despite their best attempts, Microsoft haven't managed to 
make a dent there, perhaps because they have a different business model 
that doesn't lend itself very well for mobile applications? I wouldn't know.

Google's business model is based on advertising, and maximising their 
search technology. They must be selling an awful lot of their appliances 
as well.

But to not establish a foothold in the mobile market would be very 
unwise indeed. It's just that things are still in limbo, nobody knows 
yet where things are going. Are there going to be standard protocols, or 
will several manufacturers (Nokia, RIM, Apple, Google) all be pursuing 
their own, incompatible standards?

In which case it's good to be working at a mobile phone company, because 
whatever happens, I'll get it for free anyway. :)

- Peter