Web-based software gained another foothold in the mobile  new  /icon-inline-shop.gif' width='17' height='13' alt='Relevant Products/Services'> world Thursday, when LG Electronics announced that Google apps would be preinstalled on millions of its mobile phones.
The Google'd LG handsets will be sold in North America, Europe, and Asia in Q2. The software, available through one click on the phones' application menu, will include Google Maps for mobile, Gmail for mobile, and Blogger Mobile.
Google Maps enables users to view maps and satellite imagery, find driving directions, and locate businesses. Gmail offers a mobile, Java-based version of Google's popular e-mail service. Blogger allows those users who document their travels to upload and download images and text to a blog, from their phone.
Recently, there has been intense industry speculation as to whether Google was building its own phones, but it has been dampened by reports that the Internet software giant is concentrating on developing its software for others' phones. Samsung also has announced a similar arrangement with Google.
'Stake in Mobile Ground'
The main goal in this move, said Avi Greengart, an analyst with technology research firm Current Analysis, "is to put a stake in the mobile ground."
"All of the major Web players are looking to mobility as the next major platform," he said, and preloading the applications avoids having to convince users to download them.
He said this wasn't necessarily a direct revenue move, even with the growth in mobile advertising. "It's about extending Web experiences to mobile devices, so people can remain loyal to the apps they use, or develop new loyalties," he said.
Ramon Llamas, an analyst with IDC, noted that LG recently had a similar announcement about Yahoo applications, apparently for different product lines. LG is "responding to the need for search, location information, maps, and directions," he said, in as many ways as it can.
Smart vs. Not So Smart
The utility of applications on cell phones for business or personal users, he noted, depends in part on whether it's on a smartphone with a robust operating system, such as ones from Motorola, Samsung, or Nokia. With a smartphone, he said, the user can juggle "PC -like" between Google and other applications, whereas a traditional phone such as LG's requires one to use apps one at a time.
"LG's mobile devices, combined with Google, will provide consumers with easy access to their favorite Internet services, even without a PC, and make it easy for them to stay connected while in motion," said Paul Bae, an LG Vice President, in a statement.
"With applications like Blogger," said Google executive Deep Nishar, "users are now free to express themselves from wherever they are in the world."
The two companies said that they would jointly market the LG-Google handsets. LG, the world's fifth largest maker of handsets, said Google software would be preinstalled on at least 10 new handsets this year.
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