Happy Nexus Year

Rodney Gedda

Rodney Gedda is the former deputy editor of CIO and former editor of Techworld.

How was your New Year’s Eve celebration? With 2010 just upon us, here in the tech world we’ve already witnessed many new developments, not least the arrival of a mobile phone from Google. Let the gloves come off! In typical Google style, it announces the Google Nexus One smartphone right before the annual CES tech fest and drawing all the media attention its way.

Of course, the phone runs the latest Android (the first to run version 2.1) operating system, which no doubt took the shine off all the other Android announcements at CES. Motorola, HTC, Dell, MIPS and even AT&T all made Android moves.

Is there a deeper meaning to Google’s mobile product release? Here we have a company with a well established market lead (search) branching out into the mobile operating system (albeit open) and handset space.

Now, what’s stopping Microsoft from doing the same thing? Antitrust reasons? That doesn’t seem to bother Google.

By shipping the Nexus One, Google has pitted itself squarely as a competitor to its own OEMs.

It’s unlikely Google will ever rule the Android ecosystem with an iron first the way Apple rules the iPhone, but the moves raises questions as why Google even needs to release a smartphone product when the level of activity around Android devices is beginning to blossom.

By the way, a number of local journos jumped on the story of Google not announcing the Nexus One for Australia. I think it’s a little premature to say it won’t be available here in partnership with a service provider. After all, when Apple released the first iPhone it didn’t say if or when it would be available in Australia either.

On the other side of the field, Microsoft has so far played its cards right with Windows Mobile – it provides the operating system and the OEM partners provide the devices. This model still works wonders in the PC space for Microsoft, but the emerging smartphone market is proving itself to be a little more complex.

Can you imaging the uproar if Microsoft did release its own brand of smartphone? The fact that it’s an emerging market – and one where Windows Mobile is not a monopoly – may make such a product feasible.

After all, Microsoft did force its way into the gaming console market with the XBox. It could have just developed games for Windows, Mac and consoles, but decided to muscle in and take on Sony and Nintendo with a hardware product.

With all the talk of a Microsoft tablet, a Google phone in the midst perhaps Ballmer should be thinking smaller.

Where would that leave Android? In much the same position I suspect.

As I’ve said in the past, because Android is an open system it levels the playing field for all stakeholders. While Google is now technically competing with Android OEMs, it also developed an operating system they are free to use. “Coopertition” at its best.

The OEMs, service providers and the master content facilitator Google all have similar playing field when it comes to providing a rich mobile experience to consumers.

Sure Google is being cheeky by offering the most recent Android version ahead of the pack, but the updates will follow soon enough.

Even if Microsoft did release a Windows Mobile phone and ecosystem a la Apple and its iPhone, it won’t stop the open proliferation of Android-based devices.

Last year Techworld predicted more smartphone activity for 2010 and the first week of the year has failed to disappoint.

Now is the time for consumers and service providers to join the smartphone frenzy.