The Gist / Business

January, 2011


Preparing for the Big Mobile Revolution

Eric Schmidt - hbr.org

As I think about Google’s strategic initiatives in 2011, I realize they’re all about mobile.

We are at the point where, between the geolocation capability of the phone and the power of the phone’s browser platform, it is possible to deliver personalized information about where you are, what you could do there right now, and so forth — and to deliver such a service at scale.

But to realize that vision, Google needs to do some serious spadework on three fronts. First, we must focus on developing the underlying fast networks (generally called LTE). These will be 8-to-10 Mbit networks, roughly 10 times what we have today, which will usher in new and creative applications, mostly entertainment and social, for these phone platforms.

Second, the development of mobile money must be attended to. Phones, as we know, are used as banks in many poorer parts of the world — and modern technology means that their use as financial tools can go much further than that.

Third, we want to increase the availability of inexpensive smartphones in the poorest parts of the world. We envision literally a billion people getting inexpensive, browser-based touchscreen phones over the next few years. Can you imagine how this will change their awareness of local and global information and their notion of education? And that will be just the start.


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