Smart Phones--Google and Apple

We have noted in class that the combination of smart phones and applications that fit a mobile environment can be a key innovation driver--change the way people conduct their lives. As Internet News reports on the Google Android phone:

In the Android Market, one favorite application, according to MediaAlerts, is ShopSavvy. The comparative shopping application that lets users scan a product's UPC code and instantly compare prices from online merchants and nearby local stores. Another is Ecorio, which lets users track of daily travels and view what their carbon footprint looks like. BreadCrumbz lets users create a step-by-step visual map using photos.

A few other data points in the article:

a. an estimated 200mn applications have been loaded for the i-phone from the Apple Store;

b. The apple App Store, which is 102 days old, has over 5,000 applications available for download.

c. Google on its first day had in the range of 50 such applications.

And this market looks like it will be big--Gartner Group (complements of a Samsung presentation, estimate as follows: