Social implications of Google Latitude are obvious. The product sets the base for what could be an extensive geo-spatially aware mobile social network with the potential to deliver extremely targeted ads to users depending on their current location.
The latter application, MyTracks, does not have as far-reaching potential, though. However, it is  definitely highlighting what could become a pattern for forthcoming Google Mobile launches.

Outdoor sports enthusiasts such as bikers, skiers and runners should be particularly thrilled with the latest offering. The service, which works on Android powered phones such as T-Mobile’s G1, keeps track of a user’s path, by means of the mobile phone’s GPS.

It also provides details such as speed, elevation and distance covered. These details can then be downloaded to a spreadsheet using Google Docs or to Google Maps. Once that is done these details can be forwarded to friends through email or Twitter. The application is free to use.

Earlier, GPS devices required the user to plug in a separate device into the computer, install special; software and then transfer the track to the web by uploading it. All this cumbersome activity has been eliminated. Now, a user just needs to carry an Android phone when outdoors.
My Tracks will then offer details such as recording and visualising the track followed during any outdoor activities such as running, jogging, cycling and hiking. It will also give the total time taken, the average speed, distance covered, elevation and so on.
Users can forward these details to other members in their groups so that others can follow the same trail or avoid certain dangerous spots.

http://mytracks.appspot.com/

The potential for greatness definitely lies withing mobile social activity. If the user numbers are any indication, this is where the future of mobile might lie. And Google seems to be right on track to cash in on this growing market.

Over the past few months the blogosphere has been buzzing with rumours about Google’s next foray in the mobile market. While most knew the announcement would go far beyond just another mobile search feature, speculation ranged from Google introducing a revolutionary piece of hardware, nicknamed GPhone, to launching special software that would run on mobile phones.

Google have ended all speculation by finally confirming that they have founded the Open Handset Alliance, in partnership with over 30 mobile and technology industry leaders. Members of the alliance are committed to creating an open mobile ecosystem, allowing companies to innovate and be part of the astonishing growth in mobile device adoption.

Official Google Blog Announcement – Where’s My GPhone?

Android^TM is the first result of this alliance – a complete set of software for mobile devices: an operating system, middleware and key mobile applications. A Software Development Kit (SDK) will be made available on November 12, to allow developers to build rich mobile applications. Handsets based on the Android platform, however, will only be available in the second half of 2008.

Android^TM

This open platform strategy is no different than the OpenSocial strategy that Google have adopted for social media, and will probably benefit them in the long run in the same way – by making it easy for developers to include Google AdWords mobile ads onto their applications.

While most of the world’s mobile phone owning population of 2.7 billion people might never use Android, Google have nevertheless made yet another strong move towards expanding their target market from 850 Million PC users to an audience that is three times as large.

Founding members of the Open Handset Alliance include the following companies:

• Broadcom
• China Mobile Research Institute
• Deutsche Telekom
• Ebay
• Google
• HTC Corp.
• Intel
• LG
• Marvell Semiconductor
• Motorola
• NTT DoCoMo
• Nuance Communications
• NVIDIA
• Qualcomm
• Samsung
• Sprint Nextel
• Telecom Italia
• Telefónica
• Texas Instruments

Introducing Android – A word from the founders

According to the report, Skype will be teaming up with mobile operator 3 from the end of November. They will release a fully integrated mobile phone that will mean free mobile to mobile phone calls for anyone swapping networks.

This should be good news for 3. Providing free mobile to mobile calls from anywhere in the world, in association with Skype, could cause all the other operators enormous pain.

Rattling the competition

Speaking to the BBC, Per Lindberg, a telecommunications and IT analyst at investment bank Dresdner Kleinwort said, “Whether they win market share depends completely on their competitors’ reactions.” He thinks a move such as this could prompt all the operators to cut their prices, “If Vodafone or Telefonica move to ‘all-you-can-eat’ then the situation may change.”

Skype’s phone could even be a threat to other new entrants such as Apple’s iPhone or Google’s rumoured GPhone. Sprint Nextel could also take over Vonage and integrate VOIP services into their products even more seamlessly than Skype can.

Three is the mobile business of Hong Kong based Hutchison Whampoa, better known in Asia and the USA for Hutchison Telecom and the Harbour Plaza hotel group. Skype was acquired by Ebay back in 2005 for $2.6 Billion. Recently, though, Ebay was publicly dissatisfied with Skype’s performance, when it was forced to announce to shareholders that it would have to pay an impairment charge of $900 million because it had over-valued the group.

If the Skype – 3 deal delivers on promise, it could prove to be a turn-around point for Skype as well as the sagging VOIP industry on the whole.

BBC Report: Skype teams up with 3