Google showcases mobile operating system Android news
If Google makes a software product for mobile phones, trust it to be extremely internet-friendly. In fact, it is from the intangible assets on the internet that the search giant has been able to create tangible value for its founders and shareholders.
Therefore, it came as no surprise that the first mobile phone running on Google's Android operating system came across as being easy to use on the internet besides being host to a lot of innovative features.
Moreover, software developers wholeheartedly agreed that the Android mobile platform is easy to write applications for, a trend Google has encouraged by making the software open-source like Linux. Apple has also announced a similar initiative for its iconic iPhone.
In fact, the demonstration drew considerable comparison with the iPhone.
Demonstrating the device at the Google I/O conference in San Francisco, Andy Rubin, who heads up the project at the company, declined to give a specific release date for a Google-powered phone except that they will appear in the second half of the year.
Google will not make the phone, but has helped develop the software that handset manufacturers will install in their devices. Samsung, HTC, LG Electronics, and Motorola are among the companies that have said they will produce phones that run on Android.
One innovative feature demonstrated at the conference was an ingenious security tool where a user can unlock the device by drawing a secret figure of his choice on the touchscreen.
It also comes with a compass, which when built into a handset along with an accelerometer, would be able to orient maps according to which way the user was facing. As demonstrated with Google Maps Street View, it could show the exact view that a user was looking at, with street-name and address information built in to the map.
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Google's self-developed platform for mobiles also known as Android has yet to see any mass entry into the market. However, that hasn't stopped Google from making grandiose plans for it. The search giant seems to be planning an application store to make devices based upon the platform more robust. Having the ability to modularize the software on your phone sounds good, though I'm a little doubtful on the willingness to pour money into a phone you've already paid for if all of a sudden you are expected to spend for every bit of added functionality.
Still, the idea is novel. Giving 3rd party developers a better chance to sell their software on a more accessible venue. Whether or not Google will offer such a permanent service is unknown at this stage, but if they want to compete with the iPhone (which still has its issues being a closed platform), it's a good start.
Google's Android To Offer Up App Store?
Another gem to come from Google's I/O conference is news that Android-powered phones will be able to access some sort of centralized store to find and download applications to the handset. This will be great for developers looking to distribute their applications, as well as users seeking new functionality for their phones.
Andy Rubin, the Android project leader for Google, didn't confirm the existence of an Android Store definitely, but he came close enough. The Register quotes him as saying, "It would be a great benefit to the Android community to provide a place where people can go to safely and securely download content and where a billing system would allow developers to get paid for their effort. We wouldn't have done our job if we didn't provide something that helps developers get distribution." During demonstrations, a button labeled "market" was visible on some Android screens, so it is possible that work on an application store is already well under way.
As a new market entrant, Android is going to need all the help it can get to spur adoption. One of the biggest issues facing the mobile industry is the discovery process of finding new content and applications for phones. Network operators have attempted to combat this with centralized stores where content can be purchased (think Verizon Wireless' Get It Now).
If Android phones can have access to a store where applications can easily be found, this will be a big boost for the platform. It will take away some of the fear that early adopters might feel about switching to the unproven operating system.
But Rubin made other comments that are noteworthy. The very nature of Android's open model and Apache license means that OEMs, software developers, and even network operators can tweak the APIs of the Android handset and vastly change the functionality of the phone. "They can add to it. They can remove from it. They make it their own. They can rip out all the Google stuff and put in all Yahoo stuff."
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If Google makes a software product for mobile phones, trust it to be extremely internet-friendly. In fact, it is from the intangible assets on the internet that the search giant has been able to create tangible value for its founders and shareholders.
Therefore, it came as no surprise that the first mobile phone running on Google's Android operating system came across as being easy to use on the internet besides being host to a lot of innovative features.
Moreover, software developers wholeheartedly agreed that the Android mobile platform is easy to write applications for, a trend Google has encouraged by making the software open-source like Linux. Apple has also announced a similar initiative for its iconic iPhone.
In fact, the demonstration drew considerable comparison with the iPhone.
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