Couple weeks back Google's grand mobile plan got into motion with the release of the G1 handset by T-Mobile. With Android software stack at its core, G1 is the first of the handsets that will seek to make the web experience take a whole new meaning. With desktops, the internet was about information that was not exactly part of life. Of course you would have your social networks, blogs and media sites but they were not really there where ever you went. With mobiles, that bridge is being crossed. A constant companion to the present generation, mobiles are undoubtedly the next platform of mainstream computing.

The main competitors in this space are Nokia, Apple, RIM, Microsoft and Google. Though hardware is what presently sets the limits on phones, it will be software that will come to rule in the future. Google has grasped that concept pretty well, which explains why it did not venture into a hardware and software product (much like Apple). The freedom to develop and download apps coupled with affordable handsets is what Google is targeting to gain a foothold in the mobile space.

Microsoft is clearly an established force in the mobile space. With 50+ handset makers along with 150+ telecommunication companies backing the Windows Mobile products, Android or even Apple for that matter have a long way to go to emerge as serious competition to Microsoft. Its interesting that Nokia has taken a web based turn in its mobile strategy as well, developing the Ovi Portal and acquiring Map maker Navteq. Among all the contenders, Nokia is the most best placed because of its market share and variety of products catering to different customers.

With the stiff competition one hopes that security is an area that is not overlooked. Apple's approach to test out applications that air on App Store is a great initiative. Google's free for all approach is a bit scary in that sense. There is a humongous amount of information in one's mobile phone (passwords, account numbers, contacts, emails, photos, videos) and there are no limits to the ends that such information can be put to. Hopefully solutions that can monitor and block applications as soon as they are hosted (automated behavioral testing in a sand-boxed environment ?) will be developed.

The coming years will be very exciting for the mobile space. Though the same cannot be said for mobile developers.