Google Android and implications for mobile Industry

Google's decision to launch its new platform for mobile Android has left mobile companies shaken and people debating over what exactly are Google's plans Wall Street Journal provides a detailed analysis and points out how it is an effort by Google to create an ecosystem on mobile which is similar to that of web.

Google won't make money on Android itself, but the company believes it will create new opportunities for Google to sell ads on mobile phones, something executives have characterized as the company's biggest business opportunity. Google is betting that easier access to the Internet from mobile phones will lead people to use its services more, as has been the case with Web access on the personal computer. Google's Mr. Rubin said ads will appear on the phones as they normally do when a user surfs the Web. The company may also sell ads for some developers of applications that run on the phones. (The name of the new platform stems from Google's 2005 purchase of Android Inc., a Silicon Valley startup)

It points out how Google has struggled in mobile field and how Android will change all that

Android is a bid to change how the wireless industry operates. Carriers traditionally have decided what applications most consumers see on their cellphones, setting rules and negotiating fees for software developers to gain access. Google has struggled at times in recent years to get its products -- including Google Maps, Gmail email and its search engine -- onto mobile phones in a way that's easy for people to use. With Android, software makers can theoretically write applications that run on any user's phone -- and consumers can freely browse the Web

Google is expected to target a broader slice of the cellphone market, which could spur developers to come up with more features here is a list of expected features which might come up if Android takes off you can read complete article here