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We were thrilled with the recent announcement of the Open Handset Alliance, a partnership between Google and a number of mobile phone carriers and handset and chip makers that will bring along an open-source mobile software platform. No, it’s not a Gphone, but as Google execs say, it’ll be like having 1,000 Gphones. Notably absent from the Alliance are the nation’s two top carriers: AT&T and Verizon (”hint: both companies are doing just fine with their current business models,” says EPICENTER). Well, it appears that AT&T is coming forward a bit more with its reason for reluctance.

No, it doesn’t have to do with their Apple agreement. They’re instead taking a wait-and-see approach. Since Android won’t be available until sometime next year, AT&T can afford to sit back and watch matters unfold before committing to anything.

Anyway, here’s a list of AT&T’s concerns, as relayed to EPICENTER:

• What will customers get on an Android-powered phone that they can’t get on their current devices? New content? New applications?
• Will the system be secure enough to prevent viruses, hacking and other potential problems?
• What safeguards will be in place to protect customer’s privacy?
• If Gmail is the default e-mail, how easy will it be for customers to access other email platforms?

In essence, what’s being asked is “how is this going to make our company (AT&T) grow?” After all, that’s the No. 1 goal of any corporation. AT&T is already benefitting from the iPhone, and they want to know what Android will do to provide similar results.

Idealists as we are, we feel the Android issue transcends corporate growth. But then again, we’ll just be cast aside, as most idealists are. The dollar rules here, and Android won’t get support unless it starts pouring in the green.

[EPICENTER]

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