Is Google getting ready to end the need for costly mobile phone minute plans and create a major upset in the mobile carrier industry? Their coming handsets could be game changing for giving users more power over their mobile handsets, but is Google could also be going after the carriers.
This week Techcrunch broke news that Google and EBay are in talks about a Skype acquisition or partnership deal. Michael Arrington postulated that Google could be working to integrate their Grand Central, GTalk VOIP and other Voice services such as Google 411 to the Skype community. These services are all complimentary and could be a natural fit for the Skype community. The VOIP market has not seen substantial growth as people have become more reliant on the cell phones. While it’s currently possible to run Skype on some mobile phones, it has yet to come into the mainstream.
Google Android and Skype are a match that’s made for each other. Android handsets are poised to spread like wildfire across the open source and developer communities upon release. Since it’s built on linux, it should be stable enough to run VOIP applications with ease. Combined with Grand Central, you would be able to get your calls and messages anywhere. This means that you can have a fully functional Android phone with Skype and never need a monthly minutes plan.
The mobile network operators have carried on the status quo of charging separate monthly fees for voice and data plans for long enough. Just like we went from paying for long distance telephone calls to one monthly fee, why can’t our mobile phones do the same for voice and data?
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