1 post tagged “adobe flex”

Long rumored, now apparently closer to reality:

Google Inc. is searching for growth in cellphones.

The company, which has made billions of dollars in Web advertising on computers, is courting wireless operators to carry handsets customized to Google products, including its search engine, email and a new mobile Web browser, say people familiar with the plans. It wants to capture a big chunk of the fast-growing market for ads on cellphones.

Google has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the cellphone project, say people who have been briefed on it. It has developed prototype handsets, made overtures to operators such as T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless, and talked over technical specifications with phone manufacturers. It hopes multiple manufacturers will make devices based on its specs and multiple carriers will offer them.

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118602176520985718.html

This brings at least three interesting implications and questions:

-  Will Google also ((at least in the USA, 700Mhz spectrum is for sale)) buy wireless spectrum or 'just' do phones at the moment ? ((Or will it become a virtual phone operator, a move long rumored for Apple )) ?

- How can a giant software/services company like Google provide good ((mass-market)) hardware and after-sales support ? A lesson Microsoft learned the hard way with XBox 360 quality and recalls...
((And how will a Google phone affect its cozy relationsip with Apple long-term ? Although Apple only strives for a small chunk of the phone market at the moment...)

- Now that a Google cellphone and browser are out soon, what about an answer to Adobe Flash/Flex and MS WFE/Silverlight from both companies ? I wonder when and how Apple will get active in this new area for web apps so they are independent of both Adobe and Microsoft in web applications creation and APIs.