mobileMinds

Well, news is spreading like a wildfire over the net that Google has sent out invitations to a Android event on Jan 5th, 2010. The initial reports have the so called "Google Phone" only supporting T-Mobile USA wireless 3G bands, which is disappointing as I don't need another wireless carrier and would love to have this phone at least to try for a while. I for one am hoping Google releases a version that includes AT&T Wireless 3G bands, not only to not have to get a new carrier but to take a shot at AT&T as well. Seeing that AT&T is the only major US wireless carrier not carrying a Android based phone this could be a way to get around AT&T control over the devices it's customers has access too. Clearly AT&T Wireless and Apple relationship has blocked Android based phones from AT&T network so far. 

I must first let you have I have a iPhone 3Gs 32GB, Palm Pre, and a Sprint HTC Hero. The weakness in the Android go to market strategy are very similar to others that have tried and failed in this market before. This is not to say I don't like Android phones, I really do and am hopeful for what the future holds for us. Let me start with a few area that concern me on Google's strategy thus far.

 

1. Allowing OEM's to develop on top of the base Android build introduces challenges on getting the latest and greatest builds to the smartphone owners in a timely manner. I'm not arguing in the case of the HTC Hero, that HTC has added tremendous value to the platform. However, Microsoft should be used an example of how badly this model has failed. In market pitches we regularly use the total number of devices in the market. However only a very small percentage can actually use the new apps tat are built and designed to work with the latest released OS. Take Google Googles which does not run on my Sprint HTC Here yet. Both HTC and Sprint have publicly stated they hope to have the Hero upgraded to android 2.1 by mid-2010. By the time Google would probably have released 3.0 to the market. then were back in the same boat again waiting for the next update, and wondering if it will ever come? As companies have to look at the investment of making the required changes to work with the new OS, time to test these changes and decide is it true worth the time and capital in doing this?
2. I believe from what I've read the NexusOne would allow us to stay up-to-date with OS upgrades. Allowing us as consumers to have full access to all the apps developed for the platform. This approach is very important to me and should be to all the companies developing smartphones these days. I can not stress how this one aspect would be one of my purchase criteria.
3. Next Google either needs to partner with another company (Amazon) or develop an in-house full featured media sync'ing desktop/cloud  based application for management and sync'ing my digital content to my smartphone. I for one believe if Android and for that matter Palm's WebOS had this type of application to make the management and sync'ing of content easy for the everyday consumer that would win more long time costumers that any other feature they could add. As several people I know who came from the iPhone that has iTunes missed that ease of use and plan to return as soon as possible.  These devices are multimedia power houses and aren't being allowed to live up to there full potential. This item for me is what is keeping me from using either my HTC Hero or Palm Pre on a regular basis replacing my iPhone as my primary device.

So for me I need to hear from Google what their plans on to address this major shortcoming in my opinion, but if they announced many of the items listed below I could switch full time to using a device like the NexusOne and I wouldn't have a problem paying the full price of the phone to get these things. No matter of the short comings I am very excited about the NexusOne and hope I can get my hands on one very soon.