Google Nexus Two Aimed At Enterprise

That's right, I said Nexus Two. Just days after Google's own phone running Android, dubbed the Nexus One, Google has already mentioned another device that will be aimed at the enterprise rather than the consumer. No name was given to this device, so it could be Nexus Two or something else entirely. Whatever it is called, it is on its way.According to this Reuters article, Google executive Andy Rubin was talking to Walt Mossberg about the Nexus One and mentioned the future device aimed at businesses. It would likely have a built in keyboard, either fixed or slide out, additional security features and be able to be managed by some sort of corporate server infrastructure like Exchange.

This puts Google squarely up against RIM's Blackberry platform. The Blackberry platform is perhaps one of the weakest of the current smartphone platforms. I've even heard some say it isn't a true smartphone since the apps primarily run in the Java environment. To me that is just semantics, and wholly irrelevant, at least today. The Blackberry is the killer email device and coupled with the Blackberry Enterprise Server is the most secure and most manageable device on the planet for business. Microsoft has taken great strides with its System Center Mobile Device Manager server in managing Windows Mobile devices. Despite that and the far more powerful Windows Mobile operating system, Microsoft hasn't made many inroads against the Blackberry based on marketshare numbers.

Now Google is going to take up that fight. As it is, Android would be fine for the average small business user or the individual that may be using their Blackberry with a carrier's Blackberry Internet Service.

That won't be good enough though for larger companies. They will expect to be able to apply policies restricting the types of apps a user can install, restrict the storage of data on unencrypted storage cards, have the ability to remotely wipe the device and more.

There isn't much information on this future device, but I suspect before it launches, Google will have developed some sort of service that will allow IT managers to control the phone just as they can control the PC. Without that, it will be just one more device that RIM walks all over.