Google's mobile foray

Google might have timed right its move(IHT) into the mobile phone software business with the announcement of the Android platform through the Open Handset Alliance. Data services are playing an ever increasing role in the revenue models of telcos and with burgeoning 3G services and increasing handset processing power, the handset market may well overshadow the traditional PC market and this is happening in some markets like Japan already. ( I'll try to write a story about this one sometime).

The Google business model for handsets seems to rely on replicating their successful advertisement-based revenue model on PCs onto handsets. Though there will be no Gphone, like iPhone, phones running on the Android platform are expected to rival the latter in terms of usability and applications.

There is a promise of "open" systems and standards with Android which is supposed to open up the networks and devices. This is expected to bring to the consumers a rich internet experience at low to moderate cost.

Google has lined up an impressive array of partners in its mobile venture including semiconductor players, telcos and software companies. The first phones may well take into second half of next year to appear.