A universal smartphone revolution is on its way, according to Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt, who spoke at the Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona, yesterday.
“A mobile experience, at least at the level of today, will be available to almost everybody, at a fraction of the price,” said Schmidt, who predicts that in 12 years handsets will be 20 times faster and a fraction of the price. “If Google gets this right, there will be an Android in every pocket. At our current growth rate, this is possible.”
However, Schmidt also warned of a potential new digital divide if the technology community does not actively work to extend connectivity and Internet access. Schmidt highlighted the fact that while there are only two billion people with Internet access, there are five billion mobile connections.
In Schmidt's vision, there will be a hyper-connected elite, but technology will also enable "the weak to get stronger and those with nothing will have something". Schmidt added that he believes the rising technological “middle-class” will play a decisive role in changing society.
Schmidt also showed off the benefits of combining Chrome with Android by demonstrating horizontal and vertical tab scrolling, linking previews and pre-caching techniques. The Google chairman also said that with Ice Cream Sandwich, Google had finally gotten the user interface right for a global audience. Schmidt also took a jab at other platforms by calling Android a “real” mobile operating system.
Equitable competition
Ovum principal analyst Tony Cripps says Schmidt's vision of a future connected world painted a realistic picture where the majority of the world's population will be able to participate in and develop the digital world.
“The eventual goal of seeing the price of Android devices brought down into the $70 range also looks realistic to us with the advancement of technology and huge economies of scale that are starting to drive the Android economy. Android's astonishing growth so far may well look modest in coming years.”
Cripps, however, notes that Schmidt's address may have left some industry players feeling uneasy. “The company's activities have already made it hard for many other mobile ecosystem players to offer value-added services to their subscriber bases, especially towards the higher end of the market. This effect now looks to be accelerating and driving downwards into the global mass market, meaning that its impact will become more profound both in new markets and new segments.
“The onus increasingly looks to be falling on those parties to lobby for a more equitable competitive landscape, as regards value-added services and network access, or to seek closer, more beneficial partnerships with Google and other major OTT players.”
Share
