- Powerful Backing from Google - it's a major target for Google's cloud computing services.
- Rapid Improvement - A recent (e.g. 1.5) upgrade was well-received by users who received it via the Internet.
- Open Source - The OS code is available, so developers are eager to support it with their own applications
- Ability to runs on many phones - This will accelerate it's growth. Already Motorola and Samsung are using Android on their respective smart-phones and other manufacturers are lining up!
- Best functionality? - Maybe so with its unique combination of iPhone-like menus and apps, Windows Mobile-like icons, and Palm-like multitasking.
So as you get ready for your next smart-phone don't automatically assume, as we have in recent months, that it's likely to be an iPhone. There's an Android powered 'Phone War' about to break out!
For more
information
see
Computerworld's
article
""
or a
summary
of The Gartner
Group's
actual
research
and report "Forecast:
Smartphones
By
Operating
System,
Interface
and End
User
Segment,
Worldwide,
2006-2012"