From iPhone to gPhone? Silicon Valley is causing a stir in the wireless industry JUST 74 days after launching its iPhone, Apple said this week that it had already sold 1m of the things—a milestone that its previous blockbuster product, the iPod, took almost two years to reach. Its appetite thus whetted, Apple has now cut the iPhone's price from $599 to $399 in a bold grab for the mass market. And yet, to judge by the industry's chatter, the iPhone is already old news. More excitement swirls around rumours that Google, the web-search giant that is Apple's neighbour in Silicon Valley, could enter the market with its own “gPhone”. Google's boss, Eric Schmidt, has already said that the firm plans to bid for a prime slice of American wireless spectrum in a forthcoming auction, something Apple is also said to be considering. In short, both mobile operators and handset-makers could soon be confronted with two of the world's sexiest brands as direct rivals. Publicly, Apple and Google are being diplomatic so far. The industry is a stool with three legs—network service, devices, and the software and content that goes on them—and “I don't think any player in the ecosystem trying to glue it all together will be very successful,” says Dipchand Nishar, who leads Google's mobile-phone strategy. By this he may simply be conceding the obvious, which is that Google would not build hardware, even if it made the other two legs. (Previous rumours that Google would launch a low-cost personal computer proved to be unfounded.) But Google seems to be up to something. It bought a company called Android in 2005 that specialises in mobile-phone software. It has Google Talk, a free internetcalling service. In July it bought GrandCentral Communications, a firm that gives users one single phone number for life. And it recently filed a patent application for a new mobile-payment technology. It would certainly be tempting to tie all these bits together into a new software “platform” for mobile phones and offer it to handset-makers as an alternative to existing smart-phone operating systems such as Symbian, Palm or Microsoft's Windows Mobile. Naturally, Google's search, e-mail and document services would be tightly integrated, along with its advertising technologies, which might pave the way for mobile service that is partly or wholly subsidised by advertising. As a strategy, this might be just different enough from Apple's to assure harmony with its ally. Mr Schmidt sits on both companies' boards, as does Arthur Levinson, the boss of Genentech, a biotech firm. Google also supplies map and video software for Apple's iPhone. It would suit neither firm to open hostilities. So Google may concentrate on software for cheaper, mass-market devices, leaving Apple to make elegant, high-end hardware. Hardware aside, the more intriguing possibilities concern the spectrum auction. Next year America's Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the telecoms and media regulator, will sell a band of radio wavelengths that will become available in 2009 as television broadcasters migrate from analogue to digital technology. The usual buyers for such spectrum would be America's existing telecoms operators, such as AT&T and Verizon. Their “walled garden” model does not allow consumers to
From iPhone to gPhone Text-Nr.: 5 Seite 1 von 5
choose among handsets, operators and software applications, or even to roam around the open internet. In July, however, Mr Schmidt sent a letter to the FCC in which he pledged to enter the bidding, provided the FCC forces any winner to open up the new network. The FCC accepted some but not all of Google's advice, so the winner will have to give consumers the freedom to choose handsets and applications. Mr Schmidt declares himself happy enough and says that Google will “be a player in some form”, either alone or in concert with partners. Such as Apple, perhaps?
From iPhone to gPhone Text-Nr.: 5 Seite 2 von 5
Übersetzung: From iPhone to gPhone? Vom iPhone zum gPhone? Silicon Valley is causing a stir in the wireless industry Silicon Valley sorgt in der Mobilfunk-Branche für Aufsehen JUST 74 days after launching its iPhone, Apple said this week that it had already sold 1m of the things—a milestone that its previous blockbuster product, the iPod, took almost two years to reach. Its appetite thus whetted, Apple has now cut the iPhone's price from $599 to $399 in a bold grab for the mass market. And yet, to judge by the industry's chatter, the iPhone is already old news. More excitement swirls around rumours that Google, the web-search giant that is Apple's neighbour in Silicon Valley, could enter the market with its own “gPhone”. Google's boss, Eric Schmidt, has already said that the firm plans to bid for a prime slice of American wireless spectrum in a forthcoming auction, something Apple is also said to be considering. In short, both mobile operators and handset-makers could soon be confronted with two of the world's sexiest brands as direct rivals. NUR 74 Tage nach dem Start des iPhones, sagte Apple diese Woche, dass es bereits 1m dieser Sachen verkauft hatte - ein Meilenstein, dass bei seinen früheren Kassenschlagern, dem iPod, fast zwei Jahre dauerte um das zu erreichen. Apple ist demnach auf den Geschmack gekommen, und hat nun den iPhone's Preis von $ 599 auf $ 399 gesenkt, um den großen Massenmarkt erschließen zu können. Und dennoch, wenn man das Industrie-Geschwätz beurteilt, ist das iPhone schon wieder veraltet. Es kursieren immer mehr Gerüchte darüber, dass Google, die große WebSuch Maschine, die Appels Nachbar in Silicon Valley ist, ebenfalls sein eigenes „gPhone“ auf den Markt bringen könnte. Google-Chef, Eric Schmidt, hat bereits gesagt, dass die Firma plant ein Gebot abzugeben, um sich für eine amerikanische Wireless-Frequenz in einer der nächsten Auktionen zu bewerben, Apple sagt das es das auch in Erwägung zieht. Kurzum, die beiden Mobilfunkbetreiber und HandyHersteller könnten bald mit zwei der weltweit attraktivsten Marken konfrontiert werden, als direkte Konkurrenten. Publicly, Apple and Google are being diplomatic so far. The industry is a stool with three legs—network service, devices, and the software and content that goes on them—and “I don't think any player in the ecosystem trying to glue it all together will be very successful,” says Dipchand Nishar, who leads Google's mobile-phone strategy. By this he may simply be conceding the obvious, which is that Google would not build hardware, even if it made the other two legs. (Previous rumours that Google would launch a low-cost personal computer proved to be unfounded.) Apple und Google sind in der Öffentlichkeit so weit diplomatisch. Die Industrie ist ein Hocker mit drei Beinen – es sind der Netzwerkservice, die Geräte und die Software und Inhalte, die sich auf sie beziehen- und: "Ich glaube nicht, dass jeder Spieler in dem Ökosystem erfolgreich sein wird um alles zusammen zu halten", sagt Dipchand Nishar, der die Google-Handy-Strategie leitet. Mit diesem kann er einfach zugeben dass es offentsichtlich ist, was bedeutet, dass Google keine Hardware bauen würde, auch wenn es die anderen beiden Beine machen würde. (Bisherige Gerüchte, dass Google ein Low-Cost PC einführen würde, erwies sich als unbegründet.)
From iPhone to gPhone Text-Nr.: 5 Seite 3 von 5
But Google seems to be up to something. It bought a company called Android in 2005 that specialises in mobile-phone software. It has Google Talk, a free internetcalling service. In July it bought GrandCentral Communications, a firm that gives users one single phone number for life. And it recently filed a patent application for a new mobile-payment technology. Aber Google scheint für etwas bereit zu sein. Es kaufte eine Firma namens Android im Jahr 2005, dass sich auf die Handy-Software spezialisiert. Es hat Google Talk, ein kostenloser Internet-Anruf- Service. Im Juli kaufte es GrandCentral Communications, ein Unternehmen, die den Nutzern eine einzige Telefonnummer im Leben gibt.. Und kürzlich hat es eine Patentanwendung für eine neue Handy-Zahlung-Technologie ausgefeilt. It would certainly be tempting to tie all these bits together into a new software “platform” for mobile phones and offer it to handset-makers as an alternative to existing smart-phone operating systems such as Symbian, Palm or Microsoft's Windows Mobile. Naturally, Google's search, e-mail and document services would be tightly integrated, along with its advertising technologies, which might pave the way for mobile service that is partly or wholly subsidised by advertising. Es wäre sicherlich verlockend all diese Bits in eine neue Software-Plattform für Mobiltelefone zusammen zu binden und ihn an Handy-Hersteller als Alternative an das bestehende Smart-phone anzubieten Betriebssysteme wie Symbian, Palm oder Microsoft's Windows Handy. Natürlich wäre, die Google-Suche, E-Mail-und Dokument-Services nahtlos integriert, zusammen mit seinen Werbetechnologien, die möglicherweise den Weg für mobile Dienste, die ganz oder teilweise durch Werbung subventioniert sind, bahnen. As a strategy, this might be just different enough from Apple's to assure harmony with its ally. Mr Schmidt sits on both companies' boards, as does Arthur Levinson, the boss of Genentech, a biotech firm. Google also supplies map and video software for Apple's iPhone. It would suit neither firm to open hostilities. So Google may concentrate on software for cheaper, mass-market devices, leaving Apple to make elegant, high-end hardware. Als eine Strategie könnte dies nur verschieden genug für Apple sein, um die Harmonie zu gewährleisten. Herr Schmidt sitzt in den Direktorien der beiden Firmen, wie auch Arthur Levinson, der Chef von Genentech, eine Biotechnische Firma. Google liefert auch Karten-und Video-Software für das Apple iPhone. Es passt weder noch zu der offenen Gastfreundlichkeit der Firma. So kann Google sich auf eine billigere Software konzentrieren, wie Geräte für den Massenmarkt, um sich von Apple abzuheben und um eine elegante höchste Hardware zu machen. Hardware aside, the more intriguing possibilities concern the spectrum auction. Next year America's Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the telecoms and media regulator, will sell a band of radio wavelengths that will become available in 2009 as television broadcasters migrate from analogue to digital technology.
From iPhone to gPhone Text-Nr.: 5 Seite 4 von 5
Die Hardware beiseite, denn die faszinierendere Möglichkeiten betreffen das Auktionsspektrum. Nächstes Jahr wird Amerika's Bundesausschusskommision, die Telekommunikations- und Medienbehörden, ein Bereich von Funkwellenlängen verkaufen, die 2009 als Fernsehveranstalter fortgehend von der analogen zur digitalen Technologie.erhältlich sein werden. The usual buyers for such spectrum would be America's existing telecoms operators, such as AT&T and Verizon. Their “walled garden” model does not allow consumers to choose among handsets, operators and software applications, or even to roam around the open internet. In July, however, Mr Schmidt sent a letter to the FCC in which he pledged to enter the bidding, provided the FCC forces any winner to open up the new network. Die üblichen Käufer für solch eine Bandbreite wären Amerika's bestehende TelekomBetreiber, wie AT & T und Verizon. Deren "Wand Garten"-Modell ermöglicht es nicht den Verbrauchern zwischen Handys, Betreiber und Software-Anwendungen zu wählen, oder auch sogar im ungesicherten Internet umherstreifen. Im Juli jedoch, hat Herr Schmidt einem Brief an die FCC geschickt, in dem er sich verpflichtet, die Gebote abzugeben, dass die FCC-Mächte für alle Gewinner die Erschließung des neuen Netzes bereitstellt The FCC accepted some but not all of Google's advice, so the winner will have to give consumers the freedom to choose handsets and applications. Mr Schmidt declares himself happy enough and says that Google will “be a player in some form”, either alone or in concert with partners. Such as Apple, perhaps? Die FCC akzeptierte einige, aber nicht alle Ratschläge von Google, deswegen werden die Gewinner den Verbrauchern die Freiheit geben müssen, zwischen Handapparat und Anwendungen zu wählen. Herr Schmidt schätzt sich glücklich und sagt, dass Google "ein Spieler in irgendeiner Form" sein wird, entweder allein oder in Zusammenarbeit mit Partnern. Vielleicht so wie Apple?
From iPhone to gPhone Text-Nr.: 5 Seite 5 von 5