The pace of rumors and leaks around the fabled Google Phone is picking up, suggesting that Google is making a real push to launch something early next year and is no longer trying to keep everyone quiet.
Yesterday CrunchGear got confirmation from a senior (and anonymous) HTC exec that they’ve created some twenty devices for Google to test and are shooting for a Q1 2008 launch.
Today Engadget is focused on the operating system side of things. They note that Google quietly acquired Android, a creator of mobile phone operating systems, in 2005. And that the Android team, led by founder Andy Rubin (former cofounder of Danger) is leading the effort to write the Google Phone operating system.
The two rumors fit together nicely. Engadget says Google is likely shopping its OS to handset makers. HTC would certainly be one of the manufacturers that they would be talking to. And the huge success of the iPhone may have spurred Google to kick things into high gear. That would involve adding a lot of new people to the team, and the leaks we’re starting to see are the predictable result.
Google’s effort is different than the iPhone. They look to be focused mostly on the OS and layering Google applications like Maps and Gmail on top of that, while simultaneously talking to device manufacturers about a number of devices. Apple, instead, took a much more holistic approach in creating the iPhone. Google’s product likely won’t appeal to the mainstream audience that the iPhone attracts…but it probably won’t have a $500 price tag, either.
And just to throw another tidbit out there - the HTC exec that was mentioned on CrunchGear yesterday said Yahoo is on a parallel track as Google, and has actually been working on custom phones for longer than Google. We may be seeing a Yahoo phone next year, too.
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Google has the ability ($$$) to give away cell phone and plans for FREE and still make lots of money with AdSense. Google phone is a great idea and will be a great success. I can’t wait.
MobiSense would be great name for Google’s mobile ads.
It wouldn’t be kool to have a Google or a Yahoo phone… BlackBerry/WM is best for business, and the iPhone is for the kool crowd! Why would you want a Google phone that’s going to be riddled with Ads, probably same with a Yahoo phone. Serious business people won’t leave their BlackBerry! And you can forget Google offering free internet service, the carriers wouldn’t allow that unless Google buys the spectrum in the U.S. and would probably still face constraints. Google/Yahoo should work with device manufacturers like HTC to bundle their software with the handsets like Yahoo Messenger/Gtalk…not create their own phones.
Googa Phone?
They’d have to use WiFi as they don’t have a GSM or other cell network, which limits it to urban areas, but also makes pushing ads easier. Could be a cool “urban style” communication device. That way they also avoid competition with RIM and “real” cell phones. Basically a portable WiFi VoIP client. Hmm, that may work, actually.
Actually it’d be a portable web client, usable for VoIP as well as normal browsing or any other web app (including gmail and their web office apps). Now that they have the backbone technologies they address the client issue, and as they can’t take it on with Apple and MS there, they just invent their own.
Thanks TC, this I call good news story (unlike …..)
Competing with mac on gadgets is like competing with Goodle on search.Not easy.
2-3 years ago when Google announces anything , it is a big news but recent track record is very bad with Google products. Even if the rumors are true, I am not excited about it.
May be Google phone will bring down the price of Apply iPhone?!! Can’t wait till that day.
If the service is going to be ad supported but free to use, I’m in.
@Oli (#4). the best wifi anywhere is apparently not in an “urban” area, but in Mountain View, thanks to Google.
I live in San Francisco and WiFi access is hardly ubiquitous, even on streets where there is allegedly free wifi. If you want reliable WiFi you’re chained to places like Starbucks ($30/mo if you are not a T-Mobile phone subscriber) or the relatively few establishments who are providing free wifi.
This talk is like people speculating that Electronic Arts is going to be making its own console. Which is totally misguided. EA, just like Google make way too much money off of being platform neutral to limit themselves to one device. Even creating a Google OS is too limiting. If you’re Google what would you rather have, 25% of the devices in the market using your OS + software, or 100% of the market using your software.
It’s the same reason why a Google desktop operating won’t happen. And looking at Apple and Google’s market cap, you can see which approach has more success. That’s not even including the aspects of corporate culture and design processes that Google would have to create at a huge cost.
Now a Google browser… that’s something you guys should be talking about
Im thinking it won’t happen unless Google gets the spectrum.
- Or it will be an unlocked phone. If google locks into (1) company I will lose faith in them… give me a unlocked media phone; for $129 and let me choose my own plan…..
Better have multi Touch / and 4gig Hd - With Expandable SD cards.
Should have the real web (ie iphone) not the mobile web.
“and and is no longer to keep everyone quiet.”
Should be ” and is no longer _trying_ to keep everyone quiet, ” I presume. That’s minus one “and” as well. ; )
It’s all about Mobile 2.0, baby!
Ghone? Phoogle?
Well, lets see here; Google knows where you go on the web and what you search for. They have Google checkout for financial info. They know more about you than your mother does. They scan your Gmail and send you spam based on the content or subject of them email. The have privacy invasive Streetview, Googlemaps, and now…….( drumroll) A telephone!!!!!!! Why of course, now they will know who you call and when, and will probably eavesdrop to see what you’re talking about. All in the name of advertising. B U L L S H I T !!!
But hey thhat’s okay, all of you morons put all your personal information on a stupid social network anyway. What’s next for all the GOOGLE FOOLS?
But wait…….all you folks live for ” cool” ya , that’s it…..cool ( eyeroll)
HTC cant be hardware partner..they are MS ally…btw every tom and joe claiming these days that they have insider information..and this news is not exception….reminder..iphone without ipod functionality costs $299…..
Michael,
If I were Google, I would concentrate to make a phone with “Skype” (VOIP) technology. I think the design of iPhone is great, but I would never try to enter in the market of 500 dollars a phone.
In any given day or person what matters at the end of the day is the money in the pocket. iPhone has not contribute to this at all. Google (if the want to keep the “cool” emblem they are destroying with so much enthusiasm) has to think about the coverage and the cost of the call.
In a poll, 9 of 10 people like to change carriers because it not working. The problem is not the phone they can invent, it is the connections.
Cost and the quality of the calls, are what Google must think.
Mario Ruiz
@ http://www.oursheet.com
if google,yahoo thought of phone why didnt Microsoft..i am sure they might have….wat the heck nokia,moto doing there???
I saw a post the other day about Google going to market with an ad supported Video Phone. Haven’t seen that discussed.
Googles Ad supported Video phone
After reading about Google :
1) Controlling large amounts of the worlds dark-fiber.
2) Google said that it’s willing to participate in the Federal Communications Commission’s upcoming wireless spectrum 700MHz band auction and pay the minimum reserve of $4.6 billion.
3) Google hires Andy Rubin, founder of Danger and the ” Sidekick”
4) Google & Sprint collaborate on WiMax mobile Internet services.
This all came together in a epiphany I had this weekend. I predict that Google will soon launch a Free Ad supported Video phone some time next year.
not long ago crunchgear claimed Zune phone too..wat happened…this post is traffic trick…more than that this stupid news first originated from rediff, which cant even cover domestic news properly..huh…
Microsoft also shown proto type devices recently to FCC to use analog TV spectrum ..that means they are also in internet device business???
@tussu
this stupid news first originated from rediff, which cant even cover domestic news properly..
agreed…
What’s new? This rumor has been circulating for months!
I can’t wait to see how long the beta period for Google Phone will run for. I can imagine your phone not working for a period of time due to enhancements.
When did TC comment threads turn into the Broken English Website Self-Promoters user group? Ugh.
Reply to Omar Ismail (Post #10) who wrote: “If you’re Google what would you rather have, 25% of the devices in the market using your OS + software, or 100% of the market using your software.”
Your point is grounded in sound business logic. However, if you zoom out a bit (to see a little more of the forest) you’ll remember that Google’s business model is serving ads. And when one is the top dog, defending ones position against potential threats often requires going on the offensive (and sometimes in a way that seems misaligned with core competencies). This, not only to grow in new markets but also to defend existing cash cow businesses from those who might go on the offensive themselves who maybe dominant in their own market spaces.
Net net, if Google is developing a phone, it won’t be because they think the handset market is so lucrative; it’s because they know much of the users experience is influenced by the telephony carriers. And if Google can’t find a way to gain a dominant position through offering mobile search through partnerships with carriers, then heck, if you have the resources, why not buy your own spectrum and phone bundle. They would then control the user experience which they could greatly leverage to become the dominant server of ads in the mobile space.
It’s about risk-reward tradeoff. They have the resources to finance this risk which has a huge reward, both in terms of defending their current position, and growing in the mobile space. And when the position to defend is so lucrative, making huge strategic decisions is necessary and expected.
Anyone know about Project Fiji at Google? They are using sound developers on a secret project.
@ Dominic
Yes, your personal information is out there - along with everyone else’s. Try to realize that NOBODY CARES. No, you aren’t a special and unique snowflake, and no, Google doesn’t care that it has your information other than to help sell you things that it thinks you want anyway. I’ll take targeted advertising over random junk mail any day.
I don’t get it… if you had to own the browser 10 years ago, today’s thinking is that you need to own the mobile device / phone? This seems like a big distraction for Google and an odd direction to follow given their failure to create any great web app outside of GMail, which really isn’t anything special. I don’t see Google building on their strengths. If the device sucks, it will really hurt their image and might kill the Google coolness factor.
@Paly
Oh how true. No one cares. At least for the moment. People need to remember long term. Don’t let the high tech dog return to bite you in your digital asses.
OK, but what about Facebook?
All you naysayers on are crack. Who gives a rats ass about the ‘Google coolness factor’ or whether they can design a phone let alone mobile appls.
The point is they have the resources to buy spectrum and to offer it free of charge to joe schmoe for calls, surfing the net, im, etc. All for the price of targeted ads which of course have been the ‘bane of existence’ for millions using Google search
So in the end, if big G can pull this off while partnering with HTC or another hw vendor to provide a superior user experience from the competition(which wouldnt be hard to do if they copy Apple), then it be a win/win for the consumer as rate plans will plummet in price.
I was in Japan recently and my associate couldn’t take a frickin call for all the text message marketing he received. if you call that progress who the hell wants it. Even if Google offers it free, it’s a high price to pay. You techies live in the twilight zone.
Will there be a gphone? No. Source: google
http://www.google.com/trends?q.....amp;ctab=0
This would be a really, really stupid move by Google. It’s based on the kind of vertical thinking that has been proved wrong so many times in the past. Why can’t they learn from, for example, the Xbox? Microsoft had a monopoly on a gaming platform, the PC. But it was an open platform, and they wanted “the whole chain” or something like that, which involved creating their own device. The result? $6 billion lost, and counting.
Huh?
“OK, but what about Facebook?” Huh?
“OK, but what about Facebook?” Huh?
Huh?
Why does anyone talk about Navteq (NVT) and Local.com (LOCM)- Both companies are screaming acquisition targets by Google, I think they will buy them both out and put navigation/mobile 411 all together in cars and mobile phones.
Prediction about carriers anyone?
My bets are with Sprint. I wouldnt even be surprised if this phone was WiMax enabled.
More thoughts
http://abhishek.tiwari.com/200.....gle-phone/
Sprint operates a CDMA/EVDO network which would not be operational in Europe, so there is no way that would be the case even if this was not SOFTWARE ONLY! NONE DEVICE SPECIFIC! NONE CARRIER SPECIFIC! WON”T DISABLE GOOGLE APPS ON WINDOWS!
“Broken English Website Self-Promoters user group?” Indeed.
Its sad to see blogs like mashable,techcrunch etc. regarding cheap sources like rediff,rizzn as respectful and reliable…
Oh my godda! I’m a paranoid-a!
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