GigaOM Pro

GigaOM Pro readers finally moved away from big data and the cloud this week, focusing instead on research content directly tied to the Google I/O event in San Francisco and the speculation surrounding Microsoft’s splashy acquisition of Yammer.

Published earlier this spring, the most popular article of the week was Kevin Tofel’s “Is Android broken, and if so, will Google fix it?” which takes a look at the company’s OS and mobile strategy, currently the only viable contender against Apple in the market. Tofel notes that while Android smartphones as an aggregate whole continue to outsell Apple’s iPhone, Google’s mobile revenues continue to lag, and Apple’s iPad is still the clear dominator in the tablet market. Additionally, Tofel observes that the semi-open market for Android device makers and app developers has created chaos throughout the ecosystem, which impacts consumers as well. Noting that Google’s currency is information — not revenue (at least for the time being) — Tofel wonders how long the current Android market can sustain itself.

Next, in “Communications-as-a-Service: opportunities for businesses,” Dave Michels takes a look at the history and evolution of cloud-based telephony technology and Voxeo and Twilio, two of the biggest players in the current market. Michel’s research briefing provides an overview of the inner workings of CaaS framework and the major concerns and benefits of the technology, and he provides a rundown of alternatives to CaaS technology.

Last, preceding the official announcement about Microsoft’s acquisition of Yammer, David Card took a closer look at both companies in “Potential Microsoft-Yammer impact.” Card examines Microsoft’s existing enterprise collaboration platform offerings and speculates on how Yammer could best be integrated across Microsoft’s products and services.

Also popular this week:

Flash analysis: how the Model S will change Tesla and the electric-car market

What the Google-Motorola deal means for Android, Microsoft and the mobile industry

Understanding project management in the new era of work