Google has now introduced its "Google Apps for Your Domain" service. Google Apps is a free collection of tools targeted at small businesses, including online web applications such as a GMail, Google Page Creator, customized start page, among others. This has already been around for a while, but now Google is offering these services customized to a domain of your choosing ending in .com, .org, .net, and .biz, and .info, for a mere $10 per year. Although domains bought through this service are targeted for use in Google Apps, it's also completely possible to use them to point to your own server if that is your choosing.
What does this mean for domain registration fees for other parties? Well, the typical cost of domains are around $20/year. Google has cut that price in half, and although there are many domain registration services out there that promise to give dirt-cheap prices, it's nearly certain that Google will have the reliability most businesses need for their domain uses. I can see domain registration fees decreasing as other registration services lower their prices to remain competitive with Google. After all, Google has a big crowd following whatever they create since they invented the search engine.
What's also interesting is that Google achieved these low prices by partnering with GoDaddy and eNom. That means that GoDaddy and eNom won't likely be changing their prices, as Google is obviously paying them enough money.
Additionally, registration conceals private information, as stated in their FAQ:
"Google takes our users' privacy very seriously. We won't share your users' information with anyone."
These features will make it very difficult for other companies to compete against, so it is quite likely that the already relatively low domain prices will sink yet again. Too bad they'll never be free...
