New York Times Report on Google Mobile Phone Project

Interesting report by Miguel Helft on Google’s mobile phone plans:

While Google has built phone prototypes to test its software and show off its technology to manufacturers, the company is not likely to make the phones itself, according to analysts.

In short, Google is not creating a gadget to rival the iPhone, but rather creating software that will be an alternative to Windows Mobile from Microsoft and other operating systems, which are built into phones sold by many manufacturers. And unlike Microsoft, Google is not expected to charge phone makers a licensing fee for the software.

This sounds smart to me. And it shows why Google has become Microsoft’s first true archrival.

★ Monday, 8 October 2007