Beginning November 6, consumers can purchase the new Droid smartphone ($200) from Verizon Wireless. Verizon officials hope that this new release will directly compete with the Apple iPhone, giving consumers yet another option for mobile search. Today, more consumers are searching via mobile browsers, and Web-based mobile devices are flying off store shelves. That’s why Verizon’s latest phone features Android 2.0, Google’s recent mobile operating system.

Made by Motorola, the Droid showcases the expected functionality of a smartphone, including phone calls, text messaging, e-mail, mobile Web and music. But it also features the ability to capture DVD-like video, a five megapixel camera, YouTube video streaming and Amazon.com music downloading (via the Amazon MP3 Store).

If you’re wondering how this affects the search industry, a recent report indicates that “the phone’s Web browser is optimized, so sites quickly snap into place and clearly show the complete page.” In fact, the phone, which Verizon built by working closely with Google and Motorola, “is optimized for the carrier’s network, with two internal antennas to ensure calls don’t drop and data downloads quickly.” And users will benefit from Verizon’s fast wireless network and the phone’s ability to operate programs at the same time (Google’s Android application store features approximately 12,000 downloadable apps/programs).

Mobile smartphones such as this are changing the way consumers search. Google has indicated that the average mobile query is 15 characters long, but the process involves nearly 30 key presses and approximately 40 seconds to enter. Verizon hopes to change this with the Droid’s full QWERTY keyboard. With Google behind the phone’s search functionality, “the Droid is…the first mobile device with Google Maps navigation, offering free turn-by-turn, GPS-assisted path finding with spoken directions.”