Google is developing its own mobile phone, according to industry insiders, while a Google official last week acknowledged the company was "investigating" such a project.
Google has refused to comment directly on leaks from Europe and the United States which describe a low-cost, internet-connected phone with a colour, wide-screen design.
Google’s rumored Phone could herald yet another mobile phone revolution. Is there anything Google can’t do? It seems nothing is impossible, and impossible is nothing for the world’s dominant search engine company, who now want to expand into the world of mobile computing, Internet access and telephony with their own branded phone.
Newspaper and blog reports in recent months have Google shopping its phone design to potential mobile phone manufacturing partners in Asia. Richard Windsor, a phone analyst with brokerage Nomura in London, told clients late last week that unspecified Google representatives at a major European conference in Germany had confirmed the company is working on its own phone device.
"Mobile is an important area for Google," Google spokeswoman Erin Fors said on Friday. "We remain focused on creating applications and establishing and growing partnerships with industry leaders to develop innovative services for users worldwide. However, we have nothing further to announce."
Said to look similar to the iPhone, with a big widescreen and few buttons, Google wants to bring their software, search, advertising, IM, VoIP and Web 2.0-style apps to a stylish handheld device that plugs you right into everything Google, bringing Google to those even without a computer.
Google’s phone is supposed to be running a version of Linux, uses a touch screen, has Google Talk built-in for instant messaging and VoIP calls, and would have to come with a powerful web browser and mobile versions of Google Apps and other Google software, such as Google Maps, Gmail, Google Calendar and more.
Built-in Wi-Fi would seem to be a given, although whether or not the phone will be 2.5G (GPRS), 2.75G (EDGE), 3G (UMTS) or 3.5G (HSDPA) is unclear. Bluetooth would be another obvious addition, as would some kind of camera, or even two cameras if video calling will be available. Mp3 and video playback capabilities would also seem to be natural features for Google to include.
Eric Schmidt, CEO Google, said in November 2006 that in the future, cell phones could well be free as they would be supported by advertising – although whether this means having to listen to an ad before, during or after placing calls, or all three, is unknown. Confusingly, he then said that phones may never be free after all, and that Google had no plans to give away phones themselves.
Over the past year, Google has branched out beyond computers to bring Web search, e-mail, mapping and other Web services to millions of new and existing phone browsers worldwide.
In October 2006, research company IDG reported that nearly one sixth of the world’s population, or nearly 1 billion people, use mobile phones, with users always keen to upgrade to the latest models offering music and video playback, along with seamless access to email.
One thing is for sure: if Google wants to release their own phone, they have the power to do so, the ability to create the right software environment and the technological know-how required to make the Google Phone a reality.
The choice may well be tough in the future. G-Phone? iPhone? Nokia ‘multimedia computer’ phone? Walkman phone? Windows Mobile 6 phone? Some other phone?
Google has refused to comment directly on leaks from Europe and the United States which describe a low-cost, internet-connected phone with a colour, wide-screen design.
Google’s rumored Phone could herald yet another mobile phone revolution. Is there anything Google can’t do? It seems nothing is impossible, and impossible is nothing for the world’s dominant search engine company, who now want to expand into the world of mobile computing, Internet access and telephony with their own branded phone.
Newspaper and blog reports in recent months have Google shopping its phone design to potential mobile phone manufacturing partners in Asia. Richard Windsor, a phone analyst with brokerage Nomura in London, told clients late last week that unspecified Google representatives at a major European conference in Germany had confirmed the company is working on its own phone device.
"Mobile is an important area for Google," Google spokeswoman Erin Fors said on Friday. "We remain focused on creating applications and establishing and growing partnerships with industry leaders to develop innovative services for users worldwide. However, we have nothing further to announce."
Said to look similar to the iPhone, with a big widescreen and few buttons, Google wants to bring their software, search, advertising, IM, VoIP and Web 2.0-style apps to a stylish handheld device that plugs you right into everything Google, bringing Google to those even without a computer.
Google’s phone is supposed to be running a version of Linux, uses a touch screen, has Google Talk built-in for instant messaging and VoIP calls, and would have to come with a powerful web browser and mobile versions of Google Apps and other Google software, such as Google Maps, Gmail, Google Calendar and more.
Built-in Wi-Fi would seem to be a given, although whether or not the phone will be 2.5G (GPRS), 2.75G (EDGE), 3G (UMTS) or 3.5G (HSDPA) is unclear. Bluetooth would be another obvious addition, as would some kind of camera, or even two cameras if video calling will be available. Mp3 and video playback capabilities would also seem to be natural features for Google to include.
Eric Schmidt, CEO Google, said in November 2006 that in the future, cell phones could well be free as they would be supported by advertising – although whether this means having to listen to an ad before, during or after placing calls, or all three, is unknown. Confusingly, he then said that phones may never be free after all, and that Google had no plans to give away phones themselves.
Over the past year, Google has branched out beyond computers to bring Web search, e-mail, mapping and other Web services to millions of new and existing phone browsers worldwide.
In October 2006, research company IDG reported that nearly one sixth of the world’s population, or nearly 1 billion people, use mobile phones, with users always keen to upgrade to the latest models offering music and video playback, along with seamless access to email.
One thing is for sure: if Google wants to release their own phone, they have the power to do so, the ability to create the right software environment and the technological know-how required to make the Google Phone a reality.
The choice may well be tough in the future. G-Phone? iPhone? Nokia ‘multimedia computer’ phone? Walkman phone? Windows Mobile 6 phone? Some other phone?
