Google’s Nexus One smartphone is taking the internet by storm in the hours following its launch party yesterday afternoon, but the question is, why? I mean, the Nexus One is apparently just a slightly nicer version of an Android-based smart phone, like Motorola’s Droid. It’s not even terribly impressive, if you believe the reviewers: good, but not great seems to be the consensus. So what’s the reason behind Google’s leap into smart phones? A very logical theory I read suggests that Google wants to completely change the cell industry.
The way the cell phone industry works now is relatively simple. You go to the carrier you want and sign up for a plan, then you pick a phone from their available list of phones. If you want an iPhone, you’re stuck with AT&T’s lousy service. You can’t take that iPhone with you to Verizon, T-Mobile, or anyone else. What Google seems to be doing with their open smart phone is to set up a system like how you buy a computer. If you want to go from AOL to your cable company or phone company or whoever, you don’t lose your computer in the process, nor do you have to buy a new one. Google wants to sell you the smart phone, then give you a choice of cell providers to make them work for your patronage with a variety of rate plans (the direct opposite of Apple’s walled garden approach with the iPhone, or the olden days in which you got a free computer for joining AOL for two years).
In theory, it’s a great idea. I love it, in fact. In practice, it’s not there yet, but this is only the beginning. If anyone can revolutionize the hows and whys of cell phone sales, it’s Google. They’ve got more clout than they know what to do with.
Image: Wired
Tags: Google, Google Phone, smart phone, Nexus One, Google cellphone, Android, technology, gadgets, Google changing the cell phone industry, Google versus everyone
