After today´s news of the Microsoft My Phone service, here comes immediately Google with its Sync.
To summarize:
- Microsoft My Phone (supports Microsoft devices)
- Google Sync (supports iPhone, BlackBerry,Nokia S60,Nokia standard,Sony Ericsson, Windows Mobile)
- Nokia Sync (supports Nokia devices)
- Apple Mobile Me (supports Apple devices)
Google that is not generating its revenues from HW or software installed in the devices has all the interests in supporting the widest range of devices. Synching in itself does not have any networks effect but if you want to build services that let users share content or collaborate, you want to benefit of the widest possible base of users. This is what Google is clearly aiming at and it is a very powerful value proposition.
Network effect: the value of connecting to a network depends on the number of other people already connected to it. (If we are in the same computer network we can exchange files). With the network effect comes another concept, the positive feedback that makes the strong grow stronger. (See the growth of Facebook, or the success of Microsoft Office). For more info on the topic see Carl Shapiro and Hal Varian Information Rules: A Strategic Guide to the Network Economy