Should Google buy Admob?

You’ll notice I’m not a regular blogger, but prompted by a buddy in the mobile media business, I started thinking about whether it is a good idea for Google to be buying Admob.   Now clearly, it’s great for Admob and all the people at Accel partners – they’ve done a great job extracting a lot of money from Google.

However, on the other side of the equation, there is the question of whether it is good for the mobile industry and the mobile advertising industry in particular.   Over the last couple of years the mobile ad industry has become very excitable with acquisitions by all the major players – see list below.

Now we all know that Google dominates internet advertising and it’s not surprising that they are looking to expand that into Mobile, and why not? Google is already doing mobile advertising but could benefit from some mobile specific expertise and market knowledge, especially with Android and the Nexus One.  It makes sense to have Android phones and applications delivering advertisements from Google.

Admob has made great strides in delivering advertisements to smartphones particularly the iPhone.   Rumours abound that Apple was thinking of buying Admob and that also makes sense, as it would enable Apple to take a share of the advertising revenue that is generated from their appstore, many free apps being funded by advertisers.

However, it looks like Google got to Admob first, or were more prepared to pay the price which is borne out by Apple’s more recent acquisition of Quattro.  I can imagine that over time Apple will be encouraging their application developers to use the Quattro platform for advertisements in order to both make more money and protect themselves from Google/Admob domination.

So – is the acquisition of Admob by Google ‘just another mobile ad company being bought up’?  I don’t think so.  Look at the list below and think how Google compares in advertising terms to the companies below – They are all minor players in advertising (compared to Google) so even if they bought what we think is the market leader (Admob) then it probably wouldn’t be a problem.  However, it is the market leader buying the market leader and that could strangle the market to competition and make it very difficult for advertisers to reach their market without using Google and that begins to look like a monopoly.

(Microsoft + Screentonic, Nokia + Enpocket, Apple + Quattro, Orange + Unanimis, Amobee + Ring Ring, Yahoo! + Actionality, AOL + Third Screen Media, Opera+ Admarvel, etc.)

What do others think of this? This is Cabana Mobile’s view:

http://cabanamobile.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-idc-slices-287mil-us-mobile-ad-pie.html

It’s not been a great start to the year..

It hasn’t been much of a start to 2009.  In the UK it is freezing and my golf course is closed due to snow and ice – what’s a chap to do?

The economy is in a mess with the banks not lending and people not spending money, which in turn is leading to redundancies in car manufacturing (Nissan in Sunderland) and Dell computers in Limerick to name but 2.  I have a theory on this, which is this – Stuff works better than it used to, so you don’t NEED to replace it so often.  Thus, in prior recessions you needed to replace your car as if you didn’t it would break down.  Today, cars are more reliable (except my wife’s but that’s a different story), so people can afford to hang on before they replace it.  This prudent approach unfortunately has dire consequences on the motor industry.    Will a time come when there are enough cars and the factories will all shut?  

If that wasn’t bad enough there is war in Gaza.     There are a couple of very interesting points of view in the JC – see below:

Analysis: Should Israel be there? | TheJC.com – The Jewish Community Online.

There has been much written on this topic this week – let’s hope that there will soon be a cease fire and somehow a peaceful conclusion.

Finally, there is the subject of the England Cricket team – another example of how egos get in the way of common sense.  Let’s hope Andrew Strauss can make a good job of it and we’ll be watching the start of a great match at Edgbaston at the end of July, by which time the golf course should be open again too.

Google Chocolate Factory now building routers? • The Register

Is Google really trying to take over the world or take out costs from their infrastructure by making all their own tin?  Seems like a strange move to me, but I guess that anything that makes searching better and fast is going to generate more money

Google Chocolate Factory now building routers? • The Register.

Hello world!

Hello world,  I thought it was about time I started a blog, so I can share my thoughts  with those who are interested.  This is primarily a technology related blog, but will no doubt touch on other things of interest  - assuming I keep going with it.

First up – what about the demise of Kevin Pieterson as England Cricket captain.  I know this is not a tech subject, but it has synergies to the world of commerce.  ”Some people are more valuable than others, but nobody is indispensible”  http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/7815038.stm