Google's Android a sleeper threat to Microsoft?

Posted Feb 20th 2009 5:00PM by Brian White
Filed under: Products and Services, Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT)

Google Inc.'s (NASDAQ: GOOG) Android operating system was publicly marketed as a mobile operating system when it was released. The first wireless handset it was available on was the G1 smartphone offered by the fourth-largest U.S. wireless carrier, T-Mobile USA. But, you can't keep an open-source operating system developed by the Google behemoth down to just one platform.

Who is to say that Google won't deal in Android at the card table with low-cost netbook laptop PCs and even tablet-type PCs? Who says a PC must use a Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) or Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) operating system -- or even the freely-available Linux operating system? Perhaps Google was angling to get its Android operating system as a replacement for more than just wireless handsets? Should Microsoft be scared?

Not quite. At least, not in the next year or so. But with the success and foresight Google has had in internet search and mobile applications, it would be very feasible for the company to start competing with Microsoft on its own -- and largest -- turf. The company is known for giving almost everything away and making money from the relevant advertising alongside its products. This is at direct odds with Microsoft's past software philosophy, but sometimes the large paradigm shifts happen when the largest competitor is not paying attention. Windows XP may not be the only operating system on that newer $299 netbook in the near future as a result.

Tags: GOOG, Google, Google Android, GoogleAndroid, Inc., Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Surface, Microsoft Tablet, MicrosoftCorp., MicrosoftSurface, MicrosoftTablet

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

2-25-2009 @ 5:25PM

r. richard fusilier de la claire said...

Its about time that Bill Gate's free ride with Microsoft is interrupted with competition. I'm angry at Microsoft; when I bought "Word", it never properly installed, though I did everything right, but M/S wrongfully claimed the "item number." was wrong plus I was never sent the "rebate". That guy Gates is really 'hungry'. What special treatment this was, in my book, not so reserving dude allowed to experience a monopoly often 'grabbing' a typed document, to all our detriment and that of the industry! Finally!