Google's Schmidt: 'Android Adoption Is About To Explode'

During Google’s (GOOG) third quarter earnings conference call Thursday, one message came out loud and clear: Google’s mobile strategy is starting to pay off. “Android adoption is about to explode,” declared CEO Eric Schmidt, explaining that all the “necessary conditions” are set for growth: There are now 12 Android phones out there (most recently the Motorola Cliq) across 32 carriers in 26 countries.

The whole Android strategy, of course, is to offer a low-cost, fully-featured, open-source OS and hand that to the cell phone manufacturers so that they can concentrate more on designing desirable hardware. And what does Google get out of all that? More mobile searches, which could be one of its biggest sources of growth in the coming years.

Already, Google is teasing at what may be in store. During the call, Google executive mentioned at least three times that mobile searches on Google were up 30 percent from the second quarter. Of course, they wouldn’t say how many total mobile searches there were or what percentage of all searches they represent (probably still a very small subset), but they are very bullish about the company’s mobile prospects.

In response to a question about how material mobile searches are to Google, CFO Patrick Pichette replied:

Again, we don’t give the detail numbers. On a quarter over quarter basis, mobile searches grew 30% on Google. It tells you something about the mobile space, the smartphones, and how they are transformative. They are basically transforming how people live on a mobile basis. If we move forward the adoption of these mobile phones by lowering the cost because it is open source, think of how many searches [that will produce].

The way he put it, by making Android open source, Google is hoping to accelerate the adoption of Web-capable smartphones and get everyone searching on them. Given that most analysts expect more than 70 percent of mobile advertising to be search, you can see why Google’s CFO can’t wait to get as many search-friendly Android phones into consumers hands as possible.

Original post

Comments

[Tom B:]

“Android adoption is about to explode,” declared CEO Eric Schmidt

Yea, every geek will have his own incompatible design, just like LINUX. There'll be, like 500 different Android handsets. They'll sell-- I'll go out on a limb-- maybe 500 Android phones.

Oct 16 09:41 PM

[kamm:]

What a moron you are, Tom B - have you ever seen ANY Android phone, loser?

Your comment immediately gave away your utter ignorance on the subject - nobody writes linux as LINUX except clueless wannabees who have know knowledge about the topic whatsoever.

Now tell me: just WTF "incompatible deisng" means for you? Incompatible with WHAT?

Also this implies there is a "compatible design" - just WHAT IS IT COMPATIBLE WITH and WHICH OS is it?

And when we are at it: since when a PHONE USER cares WTF is running underneath the GUI? You're truly out of your league, pal...

It's like ANY OTHER mobile phone OS except it is rapidly becoming the best one, the most advanced one (currently it's RIM's Blackberry OS and perhaps the latest Symbian when MS indeed releases its Symbian Office and Exchange clients.)

You also wrote this idiocy: "There'll be, like 500 different Android handsets. They'll sell-- I'll go out on a limb-- maybe 500 Android phones."

Ummm, hate to break it for you, pal, but even current Android phones ARE SELLING LIKE HOTCAKES - HTC sales are 20% up in 1H09 (biggest Android mfr w/ 4 diff models 'til date, first was T-Mobile's G1 a year ago) which clearly shows Windows Mobile is pretty much done.

You truly sound like an everyday clueless iPhone user... are you?

Oct 17 11:16 PM

[JW.USC:]

And you truly sound like an immature Google-worshipping fanboy.

On Oct 17 11:16 PM kamm wrote:

> What a moron you are, Tom B - have you ever seen ANY Android phone,
> loser?
>
> You truly sound like an everyday clueless iPhone user... are you?

Nov 10 03:37 PM