First Android Build Shown to Mobile Phone Developers

This past week Google’s developer’s conference was one of the first demos of the Android mobile phone operating system.  Announced last year by the Open Handset Alliance, a group of mobile phone manufacturers and software houses who want to have one unilateral platform for all mobile phones to run on Android looks to be one of the most interesting revolutions in the Mobile phones market.

Being developed by Google the phones are highly likely to blend well with other Google-ware like the popular Maps service and Google Mail service.  The stand out feature is that the operating system is being designed to run on a wide range of mobile phones regardless of their feature set.  In a similar way to how PC operating systems are made to work on a wide range of computers with varying specifications Android will take advantage of specific phone features such as built in GPS and touch screen interfaces.

This past week had the operating system running on a touch screen unnamed handset and it was sporting a number of new features since it was last shown off earlier in the year.  One exciting feature was how the handset was unlocked; the user had to draw a specific shape on the touch screen to unlock the keypad.  Another feature took advantage of the GPS function by having an on screen compass which had been tried on other handsets such as the GPS enabled S60 phones offered by Nokia but attendees said the example shown by Google seemed to work much more fluidly than other attempts.

The decision to show off the software at their developers conference was obviously to entice the collective minds into coming up with some ideas for possible applications for their operating system, with it being open-source software, a factor popular with the programming masses, it looks promising that any mobile phones sporting Android’s operating system would have a lot to offer the stale mobile phones market.

Obviously a lot of comparisons were made between the software and Apple’s stand out mobile phone the iPhone, the interface seemed to bear some of the Apple hallmarks such as saving Youtube links as icons on the main screen and a touch based interface.

The Android operating system is currently nearing completion with handset manufacturers Motorola, HTC and Samsung all volunteering to use Android on their forth-coming mobile phones in the next year.

Android Looks Set to Exterminate the Mobile Phones Market

Many people have been waiting on baited breath for news from Google to make an official announcement about a rumoured “gPhone”, the internet search giant’s first attempt in the mobile phones industry.

This phone has been hotly tipped by industry insiders and internet geeks as the true opposition to Apple’s iPhone in the latest mobile phone war. Both companies have developed a perception of “hipness” in “techy” circles and seem likely to be direct competitors when getting the image-conscious buyer to buy the latest mobile gadget.

In early November this anticipation was dashed as Google, along with an alliance of mobile phone-related companies, declared its mobile phone project was not for a single handset. Rather, the company is planning to develop a platform, or operating system, that will allow greater functionality to all mobile phones. The formation of the Open Handset Alliance (OHA), which includes such industry heavyweights as Samsung, Motorola, T-Mobile and O2’s parent Telephonica, is gathering to support Google’s venture, called Android.

Android is set to be the next multi-platform mobile software operating on many different handsets. It promises to bring not only an operating system but also middleware and key applications. Many of Google’s most popular applications like GMail and Google Maps already have mobile versions phone users can run through Java. Android intends to make applications like this more functional on mobile phones but also to provide a fuller internet experience on the go.

While mobile phones are seeing speed increases, they still struggle with web pages when browsing the internet with HSDPA and GPRS and often users are stuck having to view cut-down WAP pages instead. With the gathered intelligence from Google and other partners, the belief is that that all mobile phones will have the capability for full web browsing.

Aside from the internet focus, developers will be provided an easier platform to develop their applications for Android. Aside from Google’s own applications, it will be much simpler for independent software developers to make programs that not only work on multiple phones but also collaborate with other applications.

When asked at its announcement whether Android will turn into an actual gPhone in the future, Google said this is not a gPhone per se, but that Android provides the ideal breeding ground for their own mobile phones.

But while consumers are speculating over one particular phone they fail to see the possibility that Android will effectively create thousands of “gPhones”. So until the announcement of a specific Google-branded handset, everyone will just have to wait and drool over the fake pictures posted on websites for the next year or two.