Google Ends 'Gphone' Rumors with Open Handset Alliance

Google (GOOG) rolled out its mobile plans Monday in a group it calls the Open Handset Alliance, an effort the encompasses the search giant’s Android software and a bevy of partners.

Andy Rubin, director of mobile platforms at Google, wrote in a post.

Despite all of the very interesting speculation over the last few months, we’re not announcing a Gphone. However, we think what we are announcing — the Open Handset Alliance and Android — is more significant and ambitious than a single phone. In fact, through the joint efforts of the members of the Open Handset Alliance, we hope Android will be the foundation for many new phones and will create an entirely new mobile experience for users, with new applications and new capabilities we can’t imagine today.

The post covers most of the news that was already leaked. Also see winners and losers in this alliance and the revenue potential.

• Android includes an open platform for mobile devices and includes an operating system, user interface and applications. It’s a mobile bundle “without the proprietary obstacles that have hindered mobile innovation,” wrote Rubin.

• The company also outlined its key partners in the Open Handset Alliance, which includes 34 companies.

• Android is expected to be platform agnostic. Rubin wrote: “Android will complement, but not replace, our longstanding mobile strategy of developing useful and compelling mobile services and driving adoption of these products through partnerships with handset manufacturers and mobile operators around the world.”

• A software developer kit is coming and phones will be shipped in the second half of 2008 with Android software. Regarding this kit, the alliance had the following to say in a statement:

The Android platform will be made available under one of the most progressive, developer-friendly open-source licenses, which gives mobile operators and device manufacturers significant freedom and flexibility to design products. Next week the Alliance will release an early access software development kit to provide developers with the tools necessary to create innovative and compelling applications for the platform.

Comments

[CrossProfit]

Wow! Went through the list of 34 companies and there are a lot of heavy weights listed. Does this mean that it will take the joint effort of all 34 to stop AAPL from walking away with the mobile market with the iPhone?

Food for thought.

Saul Sterman
CrossProfit