Comments on: Google SMS Search arrives in India

By: Kevin Yapjoco

Kevin Yapjoco — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 01:10:32 +0000

We’re years ahead of the regular search. Simple match and display. That’s what EYP’s LUK4 and CTC is.

On the other hand, Google will be bringing the whole breadth of its huge database to the SMS front. Does LUK4 and CTC have the power to match that?

Besides, India has a deregulated telco industry that has many foreign competitors in the playing field unlike here in the Philippines in which we are purely dominated by local telcos. Our telco industry is like a cartel.

As for the market, we only have about 40% mobile penetration rate. That’s just 30 million Filipinos approximately. Whereas India has about 15% penetration rate or the equivalent of about 150 million Indians.

150 million Indians, deregulated industry. What more could Google look for? I’d say Google is in the right direction. Yahoo’s mobile search via GPRS/WAP browsing barely took off here. I think the direction for mobile search is via SMS and that’s where Google is going.

By: Miguel

Miguel — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 07:44:37 +0000

My guess… this was developed by Google’s India engineering team. The Philippines doesn’t have one.

By: Josh

Josh — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 04:52:06 +0000

I initially thought maybe it’s because it’s Google’s (relative) lack of popularity here in the Philippines compared to Yahoo.

But then we do have google PH, so I guess the market here is fairy significant enough for them to have bothered with that.

By: minor

minor — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 03:52:18 +0000

I rily wnder y g0ogle didn’t beta tes dis srvce hir concdrng wer olwys yirs ahed prom d rest op d world in d SMS pild.

-mayber this is the problem

By: Dusty

Dusty — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:42:56 +0000

I really wonder why Google didn’t beta test this service here considering we’re always years ahead from the rest of the world in the SMS field.

– Greedy Telcos –

By: Jeffrey

Jeffrey — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:19:35 +0000

Or even in Japan.