Although it has been on their roadmap for quite sometime, the momentum is stronger than ever. A numbers of factors are pushing for it : Apple’s iPhone success has led the way, the mobile advertising market promises wonders ($14 billion by 2011 according to eMarketer) and Google could upload a great number of applications on their own phone. Googles needs to convince both the manufacturers and the operators. LG and Samsung have built prototypes; among carriers, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless have ongoing discussions with Google.
Google considers offering a free subscription financed by advertising. According to Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt “What’s interesting about the ads in the mobile phone is that they are twice as profitable or more than the nonmobile phone ads because they’re more personal.”
According to The Wall Street Journal, Google is investigating a great number of options and no doubt that these will be unveiled in the coming months.
More in French