After all the discussion about what the Google, Motorola merger means to the industry, the manufacturing competition and the carriers. The most important question yet to be asked is what's in it for me? Me, you, us yes the people. That's what we want to talk about today. Will there be more Motorola devices that get a better bang for your buck? Legitimate question. Will it take out the trash? Mow the lawn? Paint the living room? Take your kids to school? Pay your bills for you? Go to work in your place when you call out sick? No, no, no, no, no & no. However a better device can always help you to better construct your day to day activities.
Read on after the jump...
Let's look at it this way. With more device freedom and less carrier meddling the chances of having applications that you don't want forced on you can be reduced. Take CityID for instance. Mind you this is a pretty good app. It gives you the city and state of the incoming call right below the telephone, right on the display of your phone. Not bad, but not everyone wants it. Especially at $2.99 a month. When you purchase a phone these days the app is likely to be in operation already for a trial period upon activation. That's nice, but what if you don't want it? Now there are more examples like this one, but this is the most stand out look at your phone being invaded before it's touched by your own hands all for the good ole dollar bill. Google being who they are can help stop this practice by forcing their own leverage on the carriers. Take my phone without the frills or I take it somewhere else!
The ability to root and custom rom a device is a well known desire of the underground. Not for the ability to steal services as the carriers will try to have you believe, but to help improve the functioning of a device for the purpose of the individual user. A majority of the cell phone community don't know or care about this practice and that's fine, but to step in the way of root and custom roming is a kin to stepping on the toes of developers. It's not wise and should be frowned upon. Development, especially open development is exactly why we have come as far as we have today in the smartphone world.
Probably the most important benefit of all is the possibility of taking your phone. Yes, that same device you hold in your own hand right now and then with your mouth telling your carrier what you think of their business all while walking out the door. Followed by heading next door to the competing carrier and telling them you would like to do business with them using the same phone you hold in your hand. Now that's an unrealized dream, but someone has to find a way to make it come true. That my friends would be the true definition of mobile freedom along with the end of contracts, termination fees and a host of other unnecessary fees.
Now this is all well and good but it doesn't mean things can't get worse than what they are today. Fees can go up. Carriers can throw up more barriers to existing services. They can charge more for the base product. End subsidies or reduce them for the devices. Fine, but it's up to you the people to demand more for your dollar. No matter what the result may be from this merger, please remember to not just be a consumer. We are already consumers, but try being an educated consumer. The more educated consumers that exist, the better off we'll all be.
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