Mobile Phones from Google and Yahoo to come

Google and Yahoo are getting into the Mobile Phone business and want you to start using your cellular device more like a computer, according to media reports this Monday.

Yahoo is launching a cell phone with SBC Communications that will link up services to Yahoo users’ accounts, address books and preferences. Google is making similar moves, and starting today, Google’s map database will be available on over 100 types of phones.

In response to the U.S. market’s increasing saturation of the mobile phone industry, major carriers are looking to Yahoo and Google to help boost revenues by getting their customers to use their phones to get online.

Until recently, the best connection you could get on a mobile phone was similar to dial-up modem. Connection speeds are increasing however, up to 500 kbps or more in some cases.

Last year, Google began letting U.S. consumers receive search results by sending text messages from their phones, and in June, began optimizing websites for mobile phones.

The SBC – Yahoo phone is expected to be available in early 2006 and will cost between $200-$200 USD.