Tech's response
to Willy Wonka

Google took the wraps off its plans to enter the mobile phone world yesterday.

The news comes fast on the heels of OpenSocial, an ambitious attempt to unite social networks in applications development. Plans for the mobile sector will unfold in a similar vein.

Instead of producing a phone, Google is spearheading a coalition of wireless companies called the Open Handset Alliance.

Plans include the distribution of Android, an open source-based software stack for mobile units. On November 12, the company will begin distributing a developer SDK.

The software will be released under the Apache v2 open source, meaning companies — or individual users — will be free to tweak it as they wish.

Android, in short, turns mobile devices into more promising handheld computers.

Director Andy Rubin of Google's mobile platforms stated Android-conformed units will boast "all of the software to run a mobile phone, but without the proprietary obstacles that have hindered mobile innovation."

This model will ideally yield "a better and faster pace for innovation that will give mobile customers unforeseen applications and capabilities."

Rubin was a key player in the development of the T-Mobile Sidekick.

Google did not state how it plans to monetize the software it is licensing to the Alliance, but speculations revolve around use of targeted ad support.

The Android platform will appear in the second half of '08, on units proffered by the 30+ wireless companies in the Alliance.

Non-participants include AT&T and Verizon. It remains unclear whether the firms elected not to participate or were excluded.