Does Google want to be in the phone business with "Android"

So Google announced that they are going to offer a free phone operating system to the mobile suppliers and carriers. Does this mean that Google is really into the App Platform or operating system market or does it mean something else? Not so sure..... Here is my thinking...

I believe that they just want more mobile phones with full-fledged browsers pointing at the Google search engine, to increase the volume of Google searches and hits on third-party web sites serving up AdSense ads. Certainly when you look at the number of people that have internet enabled mobile devices compared to PCs in Asia and Pacific, clearly if they want to beat the competition in those areas, which they are loosing, they need to take on a different strategy. I think that this is mobile.

Lets be honest when we look at what they are proposing it ain't that great. Basically it is a software package comprised of a Linux-based mobile phone OS and the open-source browser kit. I am not going to criticize Google's software development, but this does not look like something they have been researching for too long. Its more of a throw out.

So Google have opened the eyes of the carriers and phone manufactures to this free operating system for phones, but what will happen then? Well it is then going to cost a lot of money for the carriers or phone guys to adapt the software to link to the hardware and they are also going to have to support it. The hope is that this will reduce the costs for licensing, hence increase the installed base.... But wait a minute ... How long are phones on the market before they get moved to the side for the next big shiny device... not long.. Bottom line is that this would be a costly business for the carriers of the phone makers. Maybe Google has an evolving strategy around the browser?

As I said above, I think that the strategy lies in getting great browsers pointing at their applications. If the browser on the phone is great, then their regular Web apps are accessible too.. Bingo. This means that I think that the browser holds the key to their strategy. For Google this is their socket to the internet, a way to by pass the carriers and where they make most of their revenue. I am not sure the carriers will let it happen.. They want to control the device.

Just me 10cents.....