Google: Cloud Trumps Apps on Mobile Phones - Page 2

Page 2 of 2

As for Google's own mobile software ambitions, Gundotra also has an idea for what Android's legacy might be.

In response to an audience question on why Google chose to give away Android for free after investing so much money in it, Gundotra pointed out that much of the Internet's basic protocols had been given away, which helped lead to its success -- and Google has a similar plan for Android.

"By making Android open source, anyone can build an Internet phone at this level," he said. "Anyone from a Chinese [original equipment manufacturer] on can build a phone, with an Internet experience ... and I think that's what Android will be remembered for, because it costs nothing to build it."

Yet there's still some room for mobile apps that aren't housed in the Web, Gundotra said. Along with Android, he said Google has a number of mobile projects in the works that take advantage of a compatible phone's features to differentiate the apps from their desktop equivalent.

For example, mobile apps can use a phone's speaker, built-in camera or touchpad and microphone for input and output.

As a result, he said he sees mobile apps as being mostly those that require access to a phone's underlying services and hardware, such as the processor or other components.

But for a large percent of devices, "Web apps will win out in the long term," he said.

That's true even when it comes to netbooks, the proliferating, low-cost notebook PCs currently proving one of the few bright spots in hardware sales. The sector has become so enticing that even non-PC makers may be eying it. For instance, mobile phone leader Nokia is considering entering the netbook market, according to recent comments by its CEO.

But Gundotra stayed on-message, saying he didn't think the operating system would be important even to netbooks.

"If Nokia has a netbook with great browser, Google will run fine on it," he said. "What you are seeing on the netbook is the emergence of the Web and the cloud-based standards, and these netbooks are low-cost entry points."