Google has quietly done something that could disrupt both the cell phone OS market, and the GPS market.
"Forever" turn by turn GPS mapping data has been owned by a duopoly that charged high license fees. All players in this market had to pay them. Google has built their own - meaning they no longer pay that high license fee all their competitors pay. Furthermore, their making turn by turn directions available for free on their phones.
As for the cell OS market, they are not charging for theirs. They are paying people to use it, by giving them a split of the add revenue.
They have taken two markets that have historically been very lucrative, and driven the price to "less than free".
link
"Forever" turn by turn GPS mapping data has been owned by a duopoly that charged high license fees. All players in this market had to pay them. Google has built their own - meaning they no longer pay that high license fee all their competitors pay. Furthermore, their making turn by turn directions available for free on their phones.
As for the cell OS market, they are not charging for theirs. They are paying people to use it, by giving them a split of the add revenue.
They have taken two markets that have historically been very lucrative, and driven the price to "less than free".
link