Why Google Did Android (tbray.org)

Article summary

The article discusses the reasons behind Google's development of Android, with the author recounting a conversation with Vic Gundotra, a Google VIP, who explained that Google created Android to prevent Apple from having a monopoly on internet-capable mobile devices. This would have given Apple control over the mobile advertising market, posing an existential threat to Google. The author reflects on the potential consequences of an Apple-dominated mobile market. The development of Android was a strategic move to ensure a competitive mobile advertising market.

Main themes

• Google's motivations for creating Android
• Mobile market competition
• Advertising revenue and data collection
• Tech industry strategy and innovation
• Platform control and monopoly prevention

What commenters say

• Google's primary goal in creating Android was to get more people onto the internet, thereby increasing revenue through search and advertising.
• The development of Android was a response to the potential threat of Apple's monopoly on internet-capable mobile devices.
• Some argue that Google's reliance on advertising revenue makes it vulnerable to disruption, and that the company needs to diversify its revenue streams.
• Others believe that Google's collection and use of personal data for targeted advertising is a key part of its business model, and that selling user data would be counterproductive.
• The creation of Android allowed Google to control its own destiny in the mobile market and prevent Apple from dictating the terms of the industry.
• The success of Android was also influenced by the actions of carriers, such as Verizon, who saw the potential for Android to compete with Apple's iPhone and invested heavily in marketing and promoting Android devices.