Finally, we can cool down. The long-awaited Google phone
everyone heard about but which nobody saw, proved to be in fact an operating
system. Those who expected Google to pull out of its hat a gadget cooler than
the iPhone will most certainly be disappointed. ‘What? Google will not launch a
handset which scans thoughts and takes us where we want?’
Well, that’s right, they won’t. Instead of handsets, Google
launches software applications. These will be able to make phones do the same
things that we can now do on the Internet. ‘So what?’ gadget lovers will say,
whose hearts pounce only to specifications such as screen size, memory
capacity, integrated multimedia player, Megapixels by the phone’s camera.
Today’s announcement is the dawn of a new era but also a
repeat of past history. Google proves that it not only understood where the
technology evolution is heading to, but also that it did its history homework. In
a world where mobile phones became more important than PCs or laptops (how many
of us leave home with our laptops and how many have their phones less than 1
yard away?) Google proves it understood that whoever controls the software is
more powerful than the hardware maker. Microsoft is the best example to
illustrate this theory.
Just as decades ago Microsoft was appealing to hardware
makers to impose its operating system, now it seems that Google is trying to do
the same with mobile phones. An alliance of 34 members will do their best to
promote the Android, or whatever its final name will be. The best phone makers
have joined Google, which will ensure that the first handsets will certainly be
successful enough to make a bigger bang than the iPhone did.
"This partnership will help unleash the potential of
mobile technology for billions of users around the world," said Google
Chairman and chief executive Eric Schmidt in a statement. "A fresh
approach to fostering innovation in the mobile industry will help shape a new
computing environment that will change the way people access and share
information in the future."
As you might know it already, Google is already collaborating
with Samsung, HTC, Motorola and LG to
created the handsets. There are also some telecom companies involved in the
project China Mobile, Telecom Italia, Telefonica in Spain and Deutsche Telekom.
Google is adding also to the mix key applications. Apart
from the operating system, it is offering an Internet browser designed for
mobility, a calendar, an address book, maps, e-mail and access to Google's online
payments system, which can be used to buy things via phones.
"Today's announcement is more ambitious than any single
Google Phone that the press has been speculating about over the past few
weeks," said Mr Schmidt. "Our vision is that the powerful platform
we're unveiling will power thousands of different phone models."
Quite obviously, Google will have to face much harsher
competition that Microsoft did decades ago. But everything is possible, and if
in a few years 90 percent of mobile phones will run Android, don’t say nobody
told you so.
