Google Powered Mobile Phones

 

Google Powered Mobile Phones

The iPhone will not be the only cool product to watch during 2008. There have been several reports that Google will be launching the gPhone at the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona, in mid-February. Google has reserved two large booths fueling speculation of a spectacular launch of the gPhone.

 

What is the gPhone? There is a lot of speculation, but very little concrete information. Presumably the gPhone will have cool futures dedicated to helping user’s surfing the Web, helping to increase Google’s share of search engine traffic. An interesting article in the New York Times suggests “the gPhone is a platform, known as Android, that will allow phone makers to put inexpensive software on their handsets”. If the gPhone is an operating system designed to make surfing the Web on mobile phones easier, Google will be able to direct a lot more traffic to Google applications like their search engine, gMail and Docs.

Google is clearly interested in attracting more traffic by encouraging people browsing the internet to use their applications and services. If the DoubleClick merger is approved, Thestreet.com reports that Google will further tighten their grip in the on-line advertising world.

Mobile Web Update – The iPhone and PPC

Mobile phones represent an enormous window of opportunity for Web marketing. Mobile phone companies have long waited to expand by offering internet services. The iPhone release by Apple Inc. finally opens the door for users to use mobile phones for Web surfing as reported by the Financial Times. Until the release of the iPhone, no device proved popular for the majority of users for Web surfing. The iPhone successfully combines a mobile phone, an iPod, an email client and a Web browser. Apple, under the management of Steve Jobs the legendary founder of the company, set the standard for PC’s in the 70’s with the Apple II and later with the Mac in the 80s.

Since its release in mid-2007, Apple has sold over one million iPhones, albeit with some criticism:

· Third party software cannot be used

· The network is slow

· There is no GPS

Many of these drawbacks will be fixed in the next version of the iPhone due in 2008. A report by Bloomberg says a 3G iPhone will be released enabling faster downloads.

Techcrunch has a nice comparison of the iPhone and the Blackberry – a phone popular with business executives.

What do These Developments Mean to PPC and SEO?

More and more users will be browsing the Web from their mobile phones. The iPhone has a great looking screen, but at 3.5 inches it is a lot smaller than a standard computer screen. This means PPC advertisements will look different on an iPhone, with advertisers needing to find a way to catch the users’ interest. There is also a significant opportunity for businesses to offer their services to a new group of potential customers. Commuters can shop on-line while travelling to and from work or just standing in line at the checkout counter.