Google’s Android, the open source mobile platform had recently generated a lot of hype following the announced of $10 million for developers that create the best applications for this platform. Though we still do not know which one is the best app for this Android and whom will win the prize, but as far as I read the reviews from people that downloaded the Android SDK, most of them are positive reviews. I think Google know that the number for mobile subscribers are many times more than the Web users. It is a much more important market segment than Web for them as mobile phone can be considered as more personal than a PC or laptop for an individual, especially in the developing economies. They can’t get a better mobile strategy than initiating a project like this Linux-based Android.

If you think that the most important factor that currently driving the evolution of this Android is the $10 million, than it is not true. There are already several third-party developers and companies announced the support for this Android, such as SMobile Systems that said they have created a mobile security solution for this open source platform, and database company like Sybase. It is a good start for Google, if you don’t compare the number of startups that announced their support on OpenSocial, another initiative of Google.