Google Mobile in Japan

Japan's widespread use of wireless broadband has made the country a sort of unofficial testing lab for Google as it tries to refine mobile search technology. Japan's 100 million cell phone users represent the most diverse group of mobile subscribers. Google tests in a variety of locations, but the Japanese are often the most critical because they are just as likely to use a phone to access the Internet as a PC, and at speeds that rival fixed-line broadband. Japanese carriers have also offered such services for years, and many Web sites in Japan are formatted for cell phones. Google is working with the two top Japanese wireless operators, which have a combined subscriber base of 82 million. "Our fundamental strategy is to take ideas from Japan and apply them to other markets," says Google's Emmanuel Sauquet. Japan's influence is why Gmail users will soon be able to include "emoji," or small animated cartoons and emoticons, in their messages. Google relies on user-experience groups to determine what mobile Web surfers like. Participants are given phones with Internet access and asked to complete simple tasks, either in Google's lab or on the streets of Tokyo. Google also conducts what it calls 1 percent tests, which is when a small portion of users see different layouts, fonts, and other features. The goal is to determine what changes make the service easier to use. For example, Google found that letting users choose a default neighborhood can make searching faster.