Google has announced its first major foray into the cellular world, unveiling an extensive plan to partner with carriers, equipment makers, and software developers, and create an open-source operating platform for cell phones.
Codenamed, Android, the forthcoming mobile OS, will bring cell phone functionality closer to that of PCs, making it easier for users to surf the web from their cell phones. It will be designed to overcome the challenges of viewing web pages on a small screen, and encourage the cell phone industry to liberalize what subscribers can do with their phones.
Google’s Android system will threaten Yahoo’s early lead in the mobile search sector, as well as Microsoft’s growing share of the mobile software market.
“This is the most direct challenge that Google has offered Microsoft to date,” commented Roger Kay, a technology analyst with Endpoint Technologies Associates. “Microsoft has to take a real deep breath and decide what it is going to do here.”
Google has already put together a group of 34 companies, called the Open Handset Alliance, which will support and promote the Android operating system. This consortium includes wireless chipmakers such as Intel, Qualcomm, and Broadcom; handset makers including Motorola, Samsung, and LG; and potential carrier partners such as Sprint and T-Mobile in the United States and Telefonica and Telecom Italia in Europe.
These companies have agreed to support the development of Google’s software platform, although not all have formally agreed to using it.
The first Android-based mobile devices are expected to hit the market sometime in the second half of 2008.
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