Krishwords

When Google announced Open Handset Alliance and the release of Android SDK under open source license, I was pretty excited. In fact, few people like Robert Scoble even questioned my excitement during a twitter conversation. Some of the arguments put forward by pundits against my excitement towards Google’s strategy were

• Android is boring and the phone features are not enthralling
• The device is not out. It is just a PR blitz
• It is Google’s attempt to get monopoly
• Certain ridiculous assertions like it is a security nightmare
• Certain sensible apprehensions like “Android is not released under GPL but Apache software license and network carriers can still maintain their walled gardens”

To all those who were skeptical about Google’s open wireless strategy, I had argued that it is a welcome move, even if their skepticisms turns out to be true. It was my hope that an open source kinda approach is the only way we can break the monopolies of the giant wireless carriers. The open source approach put a dent on the Microsoft monopoly, even in the not so competitive areas like desktop software. Also, the open source revolution moved the industry from its dark ages to the current Web 2.0+ era, where the market place is opened up so much that new players are emerging every day. It was my hope that if the open philosophy is introduced into the wireless market place, the free markets will then take care of everything else and we will easily move into an open standards based wireless world. Google’s Android effort just did that. It brought in the concept of openness to the marketplace. Now only a more and more open approach can survive the free markets. Today’s announcement by Verizon just proves this philosophy. Now, the competition will drive more and more openness and we will soon have an open standards based wireless marketplace, empowering the consumers.

Some people are more worried about the lost subsidies from the wireless carriers for the handset. This is an unwarranted skepticism. Open source mobile software like Android and mobile linux software will drive down the costs of the handsets. Heavy competition among the handset makers will also drive down the prices. I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a decent handset for $25 (I have seen $35-40 handsets in India when I visited the country few months back). In fact, even a sophisticated handset offering capabilities equivalent to a low end windows mobile phone might just cost around hundred dollars. I wouldn’t subscribe to any FUDs regarding high handset prices. I am pretty convinced that it is just a matter of time before we are bombarded with low cost handsets. Low cost handsets with complete freedom to choose any network and install any applications is the ultimate empowerment of consumers. When it happens, we will turn back and thank Google for the first step taken in this direction.