It is news like these that makes me sit up and listen. What? Google is coming up with another phone? It has been rumored long ago that Google would be creating their own iGoogle. IMHO, creating yet another phone in the market would just be plain silly as there are just too many already in the market. However, today’s news made me breathe a sign of relief when I found out that it is not a phone they are building but an a comprehensive and open mobile platform that consist of an OS, a middleware layer, a user interface, and a core suite of applications. This product called Android is released by the Open Handset Alliances and will be made available via open source licensing. This is a joint effort with 34 alliances from mobile handset manufacturers like Motorola and HTC to carriers like T-Mobile, ChinaMobile and NTT Docomo along with app developers like SiRF and eBay.I am proud to say at least Google adhered to the concept of ‘Never Reinvent the Wheel’. And with so many big names to collaborate and back them up in this effort, they might stand a better chance in beating veterans like Nokia and SonyEricsson with their long running Symbian OS and some Windows Mobile OS.Finally, an effort that takes consumers’ and retailers’ welfare into mind by creating less platforms and OS for us to worry about so that applications can be shared and significantly lower the cost of developing and distributing mobile devices and services. What consumers will get will potentially be seamless access to search engines and Internet on mobile phones, more applications to be downloaded and easier to use interfaces. Application developers will be freed from the walled garden concept in which only operators control what the users sees and uses thus lowering the cost of data charges (fingers crossed!).To me, this is better news for the mobile market compared to the launch of another funky, sophisticated Nokia N95 with many megapixels camera (I lost count!) with embedded GPS software or another sleek phone built for the fashion-minded phone like LG Shine or Prada (aren’t handphones meant to be carried to talk?!). This will just create a better ecosystem for the whole mobile community from carriers to retailers to consumers. Except maybe for Nokia, SE, LG and Samsung but who cares about them if all they care about is squeezing more money from the consumers while tempting them to think about how beautiful their non-functional phone is.

Google has yet again done a good job. Now, I hope this is more than a big fat hype. So, if you have a say, what would be your magic phone?

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A down-to-earth commentary on mobile technology, internet and telecommunications from an employee working in a network operator in Asia. Feedback and proposals most welcomed.

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