We won't know for a while if Google's Android 'GPhone' operating system will be a commercial success. The first phone using the OS, the T-Mobile G1, goes on sale next month. But if Android does take off, one company that could benefit is mobile multimedia software company PacketVideo.
That's because PacketVideo kicked in a slimmed-down, open-source version of its "CORE" multimedia platform to be part of Android's guts. That is, PacketVideo's "OpenCORE" is powering the video and audio features of the entire Android operating system, not just a specific video or music playing app. So any app that uses Android's built-in audio or video capabilities -- playing MP3s, H.264 videos, etc. -- is touching PacketVideo code.
What does that mean? Because parts of its software platform are already baked into Android, PacketVideo should be in a good spot to potentially up-sell other, complementary parts of its platform to companies making more sophisticated Android apps.
One potential example: If Android takes off, a big media company, like Universal, Hulu, whomever, might want to use premium PacketVideo software to offer a music/video streaming/download service for Android phones that includes DRM -- which Google's phones don't support out of the box.
See Also:
Google Plays It Safe: 'G1' Android GPhone Nice, But Hardly Disruptive
Bottom Line: Apple's iPhone Still Beats Google's G1 Android GPhone
Google Unveils $180 Android 'T-Mobile G1' Smartphone
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