Verizon And Google Announce Partnership

Some internet hack blogged last week about the possibility of a Verizon Android phone being announced at the MOTODEV summit on October 6th.  Turns out he was on to something!  With the major news coming out about the partnership between Verizon and Google, mobile development communities have a lot of reasons to be excited.

First, there are two Verizon Android Phones which are imminent.  Pictures of the Motorola Droid have been leaked/released several times, and it is already expected to be the most highly anticipated smart phone of the year.

Second, Verizon has stated that the phones will be 100% open, unlike the locked down iPhone.  Verizon CEO Lowell McAdams even goes so far as to say, “Either you have an open device or not. This will be open.”  Rumor has it that even Google Voice will be available on the phones.

Third, this isn’t just limited to phones.  Verizon has finally recognized what many of us have been saying for a while now - that there is a mobile market beyond smart phones.  The multi-year plan that Verizon has in place hints at other devices in the near future.

Finally, and IMHO most importantly, the Android marketplace just got huge.  The Verizon network is easily one of the most accessible in the US, and with this announcement, there isn’t anywhere in the continental US that won’t have some kind of android offering.