Google focuses on mobile apps, user-generated content in RP
By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 14:43:00 08/17/2008
Filed Under: Internet, mobile phones
MANILA, Philippines--Google is closely looking at the growth in the mobile community and user-generated content in the Philippines, an executive has told reporters here.
The Philippines has the third largest user base for YouTube in the Asia Pacific region, next to Japan and Australia, said Dipchand Nishar, senior director of Google for Asia Pacific products, in an interview here Friday..
Of particular interest to the Internet giant is the "user-generated content" coming from the country that is being posted on YouTube, a company owned by Google.
Nishar said Google also recognizes the growth of the mobile phone industry. "The mobile is a unique trend in the Philippines," the executive said.
Asked about Google's plan in the mobile search space, Nishar said the company has been partnering with carriers in other countries. "That's obviously a route we're going," he said, but declined to give details.
"Our mobile search traffic is still organic," he added, noting that people use Google on their mobile handsets to search for information.
"We've been successful in other countries, but we don't have much details on [the Philippines]," he added.
Nishar said Google's monetization strategy is still "search-based" However, he pointed out that there is a "positive collateral benefits" in pushing Google applications to users.
"We're barely 10 years old. But we're beginning to have more physical presence here. Our Singapore office is just a year old," he said, when asked about plans to set up office in the country, just like rival Yahoo!
Yahoo! Philippines has set up a marketing and sales office in the Philippines.
Nashir said the Philippines is a good market because there has been a lot of "grassroot evangelism" of Google applications.
The executive, for one, pointed out that De La Salle University has recently deployed Google Apps, Google's free software suite, in its schools.
The Google executive said the company will stick with its philosophy of "providing best possible user experience" because after that, "revenues will follow."
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