Google: Android Cost “Isn’t Material” For the Company — Android Search Up 300% In 2010

During Google's Q2 2010 earnings call today, one of the things Google's executives were clearly very excited about was the Android platform. They noted that there are now 70,000 apps in the Android Market -- up from 30,000 in April. They also reiterated the company line about how important openness is to the platform. But during the Q&A session, an interesting question was raised: how much investment is Google putting into Android for this open platform? " Android cost isn't material for the company ," Google CFO Patrick Pichette noted. He said that it's important to remember that perhaps the key products for Android -- the phone hardware -- isn't developed by Google at all. Droid X, for example, was entirely an investment by Motorola to make the device. " The entire ecosystem is exploding ," Pichette said.