Will the T-Mobile Deal Help Make Google Android Real?

There is little doubt of Google’s (GOOG) ambitions far exceeding the confines of Internet search and advertising. In the past couple of years the Internet giant has also focused its attention on the mobile phone market by developing and intensifying partnerships with mobile operators. And it’s not difficult to see why. With mobile phone subscribers projected to reach 5.2 billion worldwide by the end of 2011, Google sees the use of the mobile platform not only as a major business opportunity, but also as a strategy to extend its presence throughout the traditional Internet world.

The NYT is reporting that the nation’s No. 4 wireless carrier, T-Mobile, appears to be the first carrier to offer a mobile phone powered by Google’s Android software, introduced by the Mountain View, CA-based co. last November, and made available to cellphone carriers and manufacturers who have agreed to provide the device.

The phone will be manufactured by HTC Corp. (HTCKF.PK), one of the largest producers of mobile phones in the world, and is expected to go on sale in the U.S. as early as October of this year.

The smartphone is expected to challenge many of the capabilities of Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone as well as other smartphones that run software from Palm Inc. (PALM), Research in Motion (RIMM), Microsoft Corp (MSFT) and Nokia (NOK).

Richard Wong, a venture capitalist at Accel Partners, which invests in mobile start-ups said that “the launch of Android is an important milestone in the industry. But, he warned, it was only one of several platforms being developed or upgraded today”. [Via NYT]

There are also some issues, notes the Times, with developers complaining that “creating applications for Android has been difficult”. They have chosen instead, at least for the time being, to focus their development efforts on phones that are already on the market. At the same time, others differ, saying that creating programs for Android has been painless.

Considering this is new territory for Google, challenges facing Android will certainly be numerous. However, one thing is irrefutable: failure or not - as long as innovation keeps chugging along, great new products in the future will eventually emerge.

Comments

[iphonedied:]

I look forward to Android freeing the world from the evil oppression of Evil Apple and Microsoft.

2008 Aug 16 02:43 PM

[hornby:]

This isn't reporting - it's speculation with comments.

2008 Aug 17 05:42 AM

[brewer:]

No way the android will be able to compete with iPhone. Too late, nothing new, klunky hardware, no support for iTunes, etc...

2008 Aug 17 08:46 PM

[sgmsg:]

I don't have any idea how Google gonna make money with a free OS for mobile phone.

The ring tone gonna be:" this call is provided by Coca-Cola"?
Android gonna show and on the mini screen an ads of 75% width?

Android is it the next Seagram with Jean-Marie Messier?

It's pretty obvious that the futur of computer is mobile phone. But what is the futur for a free OS when there is already many? Google want to compete direclty Apple?

2008 Aug 17 08:53 PM