I'm sure you've heard the rumors that Google will be launching a Google branded phone packed with applications into the market sometime soon. While Action Engine can't say whether those rumors are true, as pioneers of the on-device portal market, we can tell you what we think Google has done well with its past mobile offerings and where they could use some improvements - especially if they plan to launch the type of mobile experience that everyone will expect from a power-brand like Google.
Google Mobile: The Hits
The ultimate UI. Google has the simplest user interface on the web. Google Mobile carries on the tradition. The search box is front and center, sitting above links to Gmail and Google Maps, and then allows consumers to tailor their page with as many - or as few - additional services as desired, e.g. news, weather, stocks, etc. Everything is web-based, so the standard network delays remain an issue, but the stark simplicity of the presentation is appreciated by today's harried mass market consumer.
Advertising removes barriers. Google's Internet business model has been based on advertising and the mobile phone presents a significant opportunity to expand their advertising revenues by targeting the devices that people carry throughout the day. When it comes to Google's current on-device and mobile web-based applications, all are advertising-subsidized or simply free, which prevents consumers from having to pay yet another subscription fee. In a day when the majority of US wireless consumers don't use any data services beyond SMS, any business model that lowers the barrier to entry for wireless data services usage is a refreshing change.
Simple personalization. A recent London School of Economics report commissioned by handset giant Nokia forecasts personalization and interactivity will emerge as the key drivers behind mobile services uptake. Embracing that message, Google has made personalizing the Google Mobile front page drop-dead simple. When users select weather, they can just enter a zip code and have the weather displayed as an integral part of the front page.
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| Search results. Once personalized with a location, Google Mobile uses the information when returning search results. Users first get local results, then images, then web results. Clearly, Google understands that local search is critical in the mobile environment and presentation of the search results must be formatted to overcome the limitations of the mobile form factor.
Google Mobile: The Misses
While we love Google's simplicity, personalization and mobile advertising focus, so far their mobile solutions haven't stood out from their competitor's offerings. In fact, one could argue that the recent on-device portals presented by Yahoo! Go and Apple's iPhone far surpass any mobile services Google has presented. Here's where Google Mobile falls short:
Disjointed strategy. To the external viewer, Google can't seem to make their mind up on mobile. Google Mobile is all web-based which has inherent network reliability issues. Then they have one or two stand-alone downloadable applications, like Maps and Gmail. The loose packaging of standalone applications prevents users from easily toggling and sharing information among the various Google services.
Limited device support. Technically, the Google Mobile web page should work on any device. The same can't be said for Gmail and Google Maps. Limiting mass market device support ultimately limits monetization options.
Poor navigation. Yes, the Google Mobile front page is simple, but it gets crowded fast. By making it simple to add content to the front page, Google makes it easy to clog the front page with content. And that makes it difficult to navigate the front page as each choice gets appended below previous choices.
No multimedia content. Google Mobile doesn't support streaming multimedia. Yet Google Mobile search results may point to streaming multimedia on web sites not optimized for mobile. Users who click on such a link are in for long, slow ride.
Google Mobile: The Bottom Line
Google is experimenting in Japan with video and other applications and, if the rumors are true, they are investing roughly $8 billion on the Google phone which could change the landscape for mobile. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, "Google even envisions a phone service one day that is free of monthly subscription charges and supported entirely through ad revenue." However, to date, the company continues to take a slow and steady approach to mobile applications, which reflects an understanding of two key lessons learned by on-device portal companies:
First, when a company fails to deliver a superior user experience, customers won't use its applications. Period.
Second, once a company creates a superior mobile user experience they need to figure out a way to distribute it to as many consumers as possible. Google's focus on advertising helps remove the price barrier for consumers and is a good first step at promoting mass market adoption of mobile data services.
Next, if they can truly deliver a Google branded phone service that is free of monthly subscription charges and packed with user-friendly mobile applications then they may have all the pieces in place to change the face of mobile forever. Until then, we will wait and see how they balance the tricky needs and demands of all the people currently at the mobile applications party including: wireless operators, device manufacturers, content brands, technology vendors, and consumers. Welcome aboard Google! Glad to have ya'.
Authored by Scott G. Silk, president and CEO of Action Engine (for biography click here)
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