New York Times writer Saul Hansell has a fascinating piece here about why Google Android is being pushed into the smartphone OS market. Saul argues that its more than just making room for more Google ads on smartphones – but rather, not to allows one or two players [read currently Apple’s iPhone and RIM’s Blackberry] dominate an info technology market as Windows, Office and IE currently do. So in a twist of irony, Microsoft Windows Mobile managers are decrying the monopolistic moves by Google with Android as their Windows Mobile gets squeezed out of the market – Android is effectively free while Windows Mobile costs $15-25per phone . Of course, Redmond has done itself no favors with recent WinMo versions.
I find it doubly interesting because of ChromeOS, the upcoming Netbook OS. ChromeOS is built on the same Linux base, will be likely be free and mostly Open Source like Android – and most importantly will run on smartphones as well Netbooks. Why compete with yourself …. hmmmm. It may simply be a case of Google having Android ready while ChromeOS needs more work. Google`s CEO, Eric Schmidt has admitted the two may merge in the future. Meanwhile, like with Chrome Frame (attacks IE directly), Google Apps (attacks Office in many ways), and now Android (applies the coup de grace to Windows Mobile ??) – Google is more directly denying Microsoft its moves to new areas of profitability. And with two bad quarters Redmond is starting to feel the financial heat.