Google: The Democratization Engine

Google is the "Democratization Engine" for the world's shoppers and consumers.  Let's talk Android - 

I am leaving the charms of the iPhone and the Apple!  If a few decades in the technology industry has taught me anything, it is that closed systems have revenue spikes when they deliver on the unmet need, though quickly lose it as competitors emerge with more standardized and open systems.  It is more so at speed now as the consumer is empowered.  Sounds cliche because marketers have used "we are empowering the shopper/consumer to make intelligent choices", yet today, the marketer has a tough battle on had.  The shopper/consumer are empowering themselves.

My foray into Apple's world was with the Lisa... then came the standardization driven through the IBM PC compatible running DOS and Apple products took their niche spot in the market while a somewhat open and driven towards standardization system of the IBM compatible allowed a world of inventions to become innovations, from hardware, firmware to software.

Can history repeat itself? Yes, it can and will.  It is not a claim but reality that the Android based smartphones will trump the iPhone in growth and market share.  Unless - Apple decides to change "some" thing(s) in its approach.  Its differentiation is diminishing due to competitor offerings, while its lock on distribution through AT&T will be ending in the USA.  Its partnership with AT&T perhaps will add to iPhone's decline as Consumer Report recently rated AT&T as the worst wireless service provider, see here.  Also, the Consumer Report has declined to recommend the iPhone as well, details at Consumer Reports here.

The activations of Android based devices is growing at 110 million, 5X what they were 10 months ago.

Andy Rubin, head of Google's mobile software recently said, "We are web-centric."  This is the reason to believe that Google will be successful against Apple and Microsoft.  He further added, "We really understand distributed computing - and I think Apple really understands desktop computing."

For those who may have forgotten or don't know, Google quietly acquired Android, Inc. back in 2005, see Business Week article here.

Core to this transformation in the market will be, as Financial Times quotes Andy Rubin "Leaving developers free to create new versions of their apps, rather than forcing them to "jump through hoops" to seek approval each time, as Apple does, echoes the web's approach to rapid iteration and improvement."

See FT article here.

Next on Google's democratization list, my guess - The SmartGrid!!!  I will write more how it can accomplish it soon.

Chinese Smart Phone Consumer's Options

"China Unicom, while negotiating with Apple for the distribution of iPhone 3G in China, is expected to launch an Android-powered smartphone, the Uphone, which is built using its in-house developed UniPlus platform"

It will be interesting to watch the pricing and Chinese smart phone user's choice from the above two options.

Cisco to make SmartPhones

Since I published my blog on Cisco being the 21st century eCPG leader here, I have been provided with some insightful links on Cisco's further plans in the eCPG sector.

In an article "Are Smartphones on Cisco's Wish List?" here on Chinese website C114, analyst Mark Sue of RBC Capital Markets is stated as declaring:

"Considering its big push into the consumer market, we believe Cisco may be developing a smartphone of its own, slated for mid-2010."

To further the claim, the article cites:

"On Mar. 31, Cisco was awarded a patent for managing time delays in relaying video wirelessly to consumer electronics devices. The same day, it received a patent for a network-connected phone able to stream video. Many of Cisco's recently filed patents mention a personal digital assistant as a device that could potentially use the innovations described."

The article also provides good insights on the USA's broadband capabilities reaching a point where tele-presence will start to become a retail service along with cable TV, etc.

I look forward to the consumer digital services and values generated through competition.