Google’s Eric Schmidt Foresees Android Smartphone Users to Hit 2 Billion in Next 2 Years; Gives Thumbs Up to New Motorola Gadgets

Dominance of Android smartphones in the global market will continue in the next two years, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt said on Tuesday at the AllThingsD mobile conference in New York.

He predicted that the current 750 million Android smartphone users would rise to billion within the next six to nine months and grow to 2 billion within the next one to two years.

"Android is by far the primary vehicle by which people are going to see smartphones ... Our goal is to reach everybody," he was quoted by CNET.

Mr Schmidt's optimism of growth in the Android smartphone market is premised on prices of gadgets going down to $75 to $100, with the bulk made by Asian tech firms, including the South Korean giant Samsung.

That forecast, if it comes to pass, will mean worse days ahead for California-based Apple whose share prices had been plummeting amid weaker sales of its pricier devices vis-à-vis more affordable units from competitors. The battle for a larger market share has led Apple to file lawsuits against Samsung and Motorola, which was met with countersuits and victories as well as losses in different courts in major global cities.

He said Google has a good working relationship with Samsung, even if some of their products as well as that of Motorola, which Google acquired in 2011 for $12.5 billion.

"We spend lots of time with Samsung, and we have a very good relationship with them. They have hundreds of phones on Android platform. You won't see much of a change there. We want as many competitors as possible," he said.

Mr Schmidt described Motorola's new devices as phenomenal, although he did not mention a specific model.

"What I'd advise to do with Motorola is wait and see with the next generation of technology ... It's very, very impressive," he said.

Motorola is rumoured to be working on a X Phone with cutting-edge features. It is expected to be unveiled in May at the Google I/O Conference and will probably be a Nexus handset to be released to all major carriers.

The Verizon model reportedly is priced at $299 with a contract, but other versions could be sold unsubsidised at prices similar to no-contract Nexus units. It could also be bought at Google Play with unlocked bootloaders and will come with few preloaded applications and games.