Cell phones are becoming more “open.” That means subscribers can choose the phone they want with the features they want without having to stick with the offerings of their carrier. Open also means they can add accessories and download third-party software without having to get it from their carriers or pay extra for the services.

Overall, it means freedom from the “walled garden” approach still practiced by the major carriers. Although some carriers have said they would adopt a more open approach to their cellular business, for the time being it is still pretty much business as usual with the closed options. But there is movement in the open direction.

Who Wants It?

I’ve always wondered if most subscribers know what open means. Are they really clamoring for it? My guess is that most don’t have a clue. They happily buy what their carrier offers, as the mix of phones and services available is enormous and more than adequate to take care of most of their needs.

Cell-phone aficionado that I am, I have never wanted anything my vendor hasn’t offered. I’m very happy with my iPhone and Samsung BlackBerry II, as is. A few powerful factions that will ultimately profit by an open environment—like Google and some software companies—are really behind the open movement.

Even if most subscribers knew what open means, few would take advantage. Average users don’t even use half the features on their phones. What percentage of subscribers is going to download third-party software? Besides, most subscribers don’t have the smart-phone models needed to take advantage of the so-called open options and benefits anyway.

Some small percentage (millions, of course, in cell-phone quantities) of users will download games and other niche applications, but the masses (hundreds of millions) will not. Okay, maybe ring tones are pretty popular. But companies are going to have to sell the idea, and the carriers will have to implement it.

Then, what happens if the third-party software or accessory doesn’t work? Guess who the subscriber will call? The carrier who didn’t sell it and doesn’t support it! Yet, ultimately, the carrier will get the blame. It’s no wonder most carriers are reluctant to offer anything they haven’t tested and blessed. So a note to all subscribers on the open movement: caveat emptor.

Open Gets Bigger Anyway

But that doesn’t mean I’m against the open movement. It will open up new apps and services while bringing us neat new phones, like the T-Mobile G1 (Fig. 1). This is an open smart phone made by Taiwan cell-phone manufacturer HTC for T-Mobile, but the big news is that it runs Google’s Android operating system.

Google introduced Android a few months back as a way to spur open products and services, especially if they contain Google services. Android is an open software platform that any carrier can adopt and add to its handset offerings. It is based on Linux and is free for modifications and additions. Up to now there have been no takers, so T-Mobile is the first out there with a smart-phone Android platform—and what an offering it is.

The T-Mobile G1 is a totally cool smart phone. It has a large (3.2-in.) touch display, a slide-out full QWERTY keyboard, and a track ball for navigation (Fig. 2). It works on T-Mobile’s extensive GSM/GPRS/EDGE network and includes 3G technology such as WCDMA and HSDPA. T-Mobile only has 13 full 3G networks in place but is expected to have as many as 27 before the end of the year. The G1 has the usual camera, a 3.2-Mpixel unit. There is even a microSD slot for extra flash storage for music that you can download to the MP3 player from Amazon.

Like most smart phones today, the G1 includes Wi-Fi, meaning it will link up to hotspots just like any laptop. Kelly Davis-Felner of the Wi-Fi Alliance said that the Alliance loves the new G1 and any smart phone with built-in Wi-Fi. With so many hotspots around, why not take advantage if one is available? Besides, Wi-Fi will be the main connectivity option for downloading applications, and it will support Voice over Wi-Fi when cellular service isn’t available.