I don't think this comes as a big surprise to industry watchers. It shouldn't.

Google's first mobile phone reportedly will run a Linux operating system on a Texas Instruments "Edge" chipset, and will likely ship to T-Mobile and Orange customers in the Spring of 2008. "GPhone" call minutes and text messages will apparently be funded by mobile advertising, according to unconfirmed reports.
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First, I'll reiterate that I'm not terribly impressed with the iPhone. If Apple wanted to eat their own lunch in the iPod spce, I'd say the iPhone has been and will continue to be a huge success. If you're in the telecom industry, it was a day long hiccup at most. The iPhone remains a non-event in the huge space that is mobile telecommunications.

That's not to say as a concept it isn't without great merit. What iPhone does is lead the way to the next generation user interface (UI). It set the stage for things to come, and that's an important point. Kudos to Apple for changing the game, but I think we need to recognize which game they really changed.

Google's entry into the space isn't a surprise. We've been talking about it for a while. Entry with a Linux-based device isn't really a surprise either. Given everything that Google's done with muni-WiFi did anyone expect them to use RIM or Windows Mobile?

I haven't had time, nor do I really have the depth of knowledge to really appreciate what the impact here might have on Nokia. Certainly there will be impact, but in mobile telecom space, if Google's entering as an 800 pound gorilla, Nokia's the alpha male and closer to 1200 pounds.

So who's impacted? First and foremost I think Microsoft. Windows Mobile has been slow to evolve, is behind in very way, and get limited acceptance at best. RIM and Blackberry own a significant piece of enterprise business space. Nokia does quite well there. Windows Mobile is a quirky niche player with potential, but slow to deliver just not quite in time. This should be a nail in the coffin of Microsoft's foray into mobile devices and handsets. I'd say to Microsoft, focus on your core competencies, and mobile solutions has never been one.

This will be really interesting to watch.

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