All of humanity to own an Android phone one day

Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt has given a keynote speech at Mobile World Congress today, his third in as many years. He touched on the fact that everyone could at some stage could own an Android smartphone if current levels of growth are maintained. This will be done by extending connectivity to the estimated 5 billion people that have never ever experienced Google and by marrying Android with Chrome.

“A mobile experience at least at the level of today will be available to almost everybody, at a fraction of the price. In 12 years, handsets are going to be 20 times faster, which means phones that cost US$400 now will be available for US$20. If Google gets this right, there will be an Android in every pocket. At our current growth rate, this is possible,” Schmidt said.

He also went onto warn that the digital divide will developer further if the opportunities offered by the internet are not presented to everyone; this will no doubt hinder his vision. Also not helping this cause is censorship and the “big brother” effect. Google's products are currently blocked in about 25 of 125 countries where they operate. Overall Schmidt said that “40 countries engage in online censorship in some form, up from just four a decade ago.”

Kitguru says: It is extremely unlikely Google will ever hold a 100% market share domination in the smartphone, browser and search engine worlds, but like I was told, “there is nothing wrong with dreaming.”

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