MOBILE PHONE

Mobile phone application market and the restrictions put on the market by the vendors/networks

Mobile phone application market and the restrictions put on the market by the vendors/networks

Introduction

Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) today unveiled a new way for consumers to purchase an Android mobile phone, a web store hosted by Google. The company is also launching the first phone offered through this new model, called the Nexus One, which combines the latest in hardware from HTC Corporation with the newest Android software.

The goal of Google's new consumer channel is to provide an efficient way to connect Google's online users with selected Android phones. The online experience of the web store has been designed with a focus on simplicity(Charles, 2005).

Discussion

The introduction of the HTC Magic is the result of a successful relationship between Vodafone and HTC, and Vodafone's joining, late last year, of the Open Handset Alliance.

A tablet-style device, with a sleek design and unprecedented compactness for a smartphone featuring the Android platform, the HTC Magic enables a superior mobile internet experience, providing broad flexibility for personalisation via the application-rich Android Market. Available in white in the UK, Spain and France, black in Germany and in both colours in Italy, the HTC Magic will be for sale in several other Vodafone markets over the next few months.

Nexus one is initially available from the Google web store in the US without service for $529 or starting at $179 with a two-year contract from T-Mobile USA. In the near future, Verizon Wireless in the US and Vodafone in Europe plan to offer services to customers in their respective geographies. Today, consumers can go to www.google.com/phone to learn about the Nexus One and place an order(Kotler , 2004). We will initially take orders from consumers in the US and three other markets - the UK, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

In the coming months Google plans on partnering with additional operators, offering consumers access to a broad set of service plans. In the future we expect to launch more phones with Android handset partners and to expand the web store to more countries.

Vodafone today unveiled the world's second smartphone powered by Android, the open source mobile operating system developed through the Google-led Open Handset Alliance. Vodafone distributes this phone to its userbase in some European countries and it seems affordable as you can get it under certain conditions(Charles, 2005).

The HTC Magic, which Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) showed off at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, will land in several European markets in spring. It follows last year's splashy U.S. debut of T-Mobile's G1 Android phone, also manufactured by HTC.

Vodafone, the world's largest mobile carrier, joined the Open Handset Alliance in December, along with 13 other companies, including Sony Ericsson, Toshiba and Garmin.

"Following our joining of the Open Handset Alliance, we have worked very closely with HTC to bring this cool new phone to the market," Patrick Chomet, Vodafone's global director of terminals, said in a statement(Kotler , 2004).

Many of the features found in the Magic resemble T-Mobile's ...