Google's Android Platform, regardless of who manufactures it, already
trumps iPhone in distribution in the US. Google will continue to push
smart phone advancements. If it doesn't, it will be extinct in a few
short years, here's why;
Smart phones will outnumber computers in the US in the first half of
2010. A Deloitte survey just released found - 39% of 18 to 29 year-olds
planned to use smart phones for holiday shopping in the US and the
number is only going to expand at an accelerated rate as a record
number of smart phones are being purchased right now.
GPS and Blue tooth proximity based messaging with augmented overlays on
video enhanced cameras, combined with snap tag information, real time
on-line comparison shopping and instant coupons connect the web with
packaging, point of purchase, store shops and even routes to the store,
all in real time one-one-one communication.
Consumer consumption for all things web has been running at 3-4 years
ahead of marketers' spend, simply because marketers haven't been
sophisticated enough to catch up. This chasm has made marketing spend
on the web value priced. Now the mobile web is coming on board at a 3G
pace, and consumption is already well ahead of anything anticipated.
Significantly faster 4G is just beginning to come on and the lightening
speed of 700 Mhz, the old TV spectrum, was slated for now, however, the
new administration doesn't think it is appropriate to simply unleash it
on the open market, because it's too advanced.
The US Federal Government auction for the 700 Mhz spectrum took place
in 2008 with the top bidders being AT&T, Verizon, Craig McCaw's
consortium that included Sprint and T-Mobile, Cablevision regionally,
and Google.
Google asked and was granted that if any bid for spectrum came in over
$4B, then the access provider for the spectrum could be switched at a
moments notice on any device (open platform) for the best price. This
would make carrier exclusive phones, even the iPhone, and cable set top
boxes, a thing of the past.
This scenario would create an environment where app bots continuously
shop for the lowest access cost for spectrum and immediately switch to
the best provider, similar to roaming on a cell phone.
A scenario like this will lead to price compression in exchange for
locked-in connectivity that guarantees sizable audiences for
advertisers. Equipment will become a commodity that is driven by open
source developers. Sitting atop this food chain?, Google and few other
developers/search giants/ad networks.
That's why every marketer needs a mobile strategy right now. The $1B
anticipated in mobile media spend in 2010, should be 3-4x that.
Additionally, the majority of spend in the space should not be media.
It should be on the development of content and interaction with
customers. Very soon mobile will be the primary way consumers access
and interact with the web.
Read Full Article