ThinkEquity’s Mark McKechnie this morning offers up his thoughts on the product unveiling happening next week between Google (GOOG) and Samsung Electronics (SSNLF).
It’s been known the two will probably introduce a phone based on Google’s “Android” operating system, and McKechnie notes that Google’s chief executive, Larry Page, last night mentioned the event during the company’s Q3 conference call.
Page said simply, “We’re really looking forward to our announcements with Samsung next week, which I think will be very exciting.” But he also made reference to the “soon-to-be released new version of Android called Ice Cream Sandwich.” That update has been widely anticipated for many months now.
McKechnie offers that the device could be a “high-end compliment to their existing Galaxy S2 line of smartphones,” and maybe a “Google Experience” phone, referring to the models Google uses to showcase technology.
But he also thinks one of the devices will have a traditional hardware QWERTY keyboard, “similar to a Droid but more usable.”
That poses a possible direct challenge to Research in Motion (RIMM), he thinks.
“We would see such a product as most threatening to RIMM, particularly if it comes with improved messaging / security features. We also expect Samsung to focus on building its own video/audio content “ecosystem” along with GOOG/Android to compete with Apple.”
McKechnie thinks the Google, Samsung unveiling, and today’s debut of Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone 4S, are among developments happening over the next several weeks that could be hard for RIM, and for Nokia (NOK) as well.
“We believe the new iPhone and Samsung offerings, not to mention the upcoming [Amazon.com (AMZN)] Kindle Fire launch, could prove most challenging to RIMM and NOK’s Windows Phone7 plans as the battle of the smart phone ecosystems intensifies.”
RIM shares today are up 32 cents, or 1.4%, at $23.61 in early trading.
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