GPhone Still In the Works At Google

Technical Writing Geek writes "According to sources at a Taiwanese manufacturer, Google will definitely be launching its own branded phone. An article at DigiTimes states that the company has yet to finalize the handset's specifications, OS, production contractor and operating partners. 'TI's handset chipsets will find their way into the Google phone should the company decide to roll out an EDGE-compliant handset, but Qualcomm could turn out to be the winner if Google decides to bet on a 3G model ... However, the choice of a 3G platform might force Google to postpone the launch of the so-called Gphone to the first half of 2008 instead of the latter half of this year as expected due to the change of platform and problems related to licensing of patented technologies ...'"

The real winner

The real winner (other than Google) will be whichever service provider wins the Gphone contract.

Re:The real winner

The real winner (other than Google) will be whichever service provider wins the Gphone contract.

I, for one, hope the Google doesn't sign exclusively with one carrier.

Hmm

I wonder if it will pop-up Flash ads during phone calls.

• You call/receive call
• Google speech pattern recogniser listens in, detects 'date', 'dinner' and 'movie'
• Information passed to server
• Server pops up ad for Trojans (complete with animation!)

nah, they'd never do that .. would they?

Re:Hmm

If they do that then I will add the following predictions

1: The GPhone will be free, but you can buy one if you wish to use your own number.
2: It will never leave Beta.
3: Microsoft and Yahoo will release rival Phones, but they wont be as good, and will look ugly.
4: People will complain that the Gphone is clearly a monopoly as it is Google leverage its advertising monopoly into another market to take it over....*

* Not that I think Google is a monopolist, nor can I see why they would be classed as such

Eh?

So there's not actually any information here. Everything is still up in the air - OS, partners, specs, producers, launch date - except that Google *will* be making a phone.

Wake me up when something actually is known.

Other thoughts...
How long will it be in beta?
September Fools' ?

Data collection

Does anyone see this bringing a whole new meaning to phoning home? Think of all the data they could collect but owning the platform, they could mine where your contacts live how often you talk to each of them, all sorts of usagine information not relating to the phone depending on the feature set. This seems like a data miner's mother lode.

Re:Data collection

Which isn't too much different from any other Cell Provider... especially since many still sell that information - while Google has a history of creating a level of user anonymity that companies like AT&T don't.

So while Google may have access to more information (assuming you use their phones to access Google's online services), they seem less likely to use that information (from current and previous track records) than other cell carriers already ARE doing.

Re:Data collection

Think of all the data they could collect but owning the platform, they could mine where your contacts live how often you talk to each of them, all sorts of usagine information not relating to the phone depending on the feature set. This seems like a data miner's mother lode.

RIM already has that capability with BlackBerry.

Re:Data collection

Or......you're an idiot.

well, read this and see if you still feel like defending google no matter what they do:

http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2006/11/google.html [motherjones.com]

the fact is they have a lot of power and they have a lot of data. past performance is no indicator of future, as they say, and given that absolute power corrupts absolutely, I just fear any single entity that gets that much info on us.

I don't worry about the gov getting as much on us - the gov is mostly incompetant (that actually works in our favor, as citizens). but google is pretty competant - and that scares me, given how much data and access (and machine power) they have.

he said, she said.......

but no real details. nothing beyond what was reported the last time this was here, or the time before, or the time before........

wake me up when google announce something

And the point of the article is...?

WTF? So, basically the gPhone will have some kind of operating system and be connected to some kind of network, all of it to made by some as yet unnamed manufacturer.

In other news...

Google announces plan to destroy all information it can't index [theonion.com].

Only one question

Will it have an SDK and or support J2ME?

Fry It!

I hope someone there read Stephen Fry's recent blog on phones [stephenfry.com] and is taking it all to heart.

This year?

...However, the choice of a 3G platform might force Google to postpone the launch of the so-called Gphone to the first half of 2008 instead of the latter half of this year as expected...

We're already in the latter half of this year. Its nearly October!

If they don't have a hardware spec, OS, production contractor or operating partners I'd put my money on the proverbial snowball in hell before GPhone 2007

In other words...

An article at DigiTimes states that the company has yet to finalize the handset's specifications, OS, production contractor and operating partners.

In other words, they have not finalized anything. Which is basically the definition of vaporware.

What would be better than a phone...

would be if they released their own phone OS instead of their own phone with cross platform syncing tools. Windows Mobile is PAINFULLY lacking and I refuse to use the IPhone until they have one with a replaceable battery and a minisd slot.

Google + Apple = Goople?

I have to wonder what the gPhone will be like when there's already the iPhone getting all the attention. Because certainly they've been working on this since before the iPhone came out, and, since Google CEO Eric Schmidt is on the Apple board, they probably knew more about the iPhone than the public did before it came out...

One has to wonder if Google would even want to compete head on with the iPhone..

But they wouldn't be making something of lesser gee-whiz functionality, would they..

If it wasn't for my knowing that Apple hasn't traditionally been interested in sharing their IP with "clone" companies, I would almost start to think the gPhone is going to be a lot like the iPhone..

Maybe there's more going on between Apple and Google than we know...

Re:Google + Apple = Goople?

One has to wonder if Google would even want to compete head on with the iPhone..

I hope not. The iPhone is just a smartphone with a few new features that looks like an iPod; there's nothing special about the infrastructure or business model.

If google jumps in, I hope it will be more revolutionary. For instance, if they won the bandwidth auction that's happening soon, and used that to make a high-speed nationwide data+voice wireless network open to third party devices (though since it's "new" spectrum, initially only the gPhone would work). I'm probably just setting myself up for major disappointment, but that's what I wish.

700 MHz

If Google gets the spectrum license, will they be building their own competing voice/data network in the USA?

-b.

Re:700 MHz

Well... yeah. That's what the 700Mhz spectrum is going to be used for, and Google is one of the players looking to bid.

Of course, the really big idea is not to have a voice/data network, but to have it be an all-data network with VOIP. Of course, carriers really hate the idea because it pushes the idea that you can have a dumb pipe, and separate from that you have voice service which could possible be provided by another provider. The cell carrier business model relies on the presumption that the pipe and the service are inseparable, and building the pipe entitles you to all service contracts of any sort.

Verizon and the cable companies like this idea, too, that phone services, data services, and video services are all somehow inherently bound to the data network that carries them. This is what the net neutrality debate is all about. These big companies want to say, "I own the pipe, so I should get a piece of anyone providing any service through that pipe." If we can ever knock the services free of the pipe, I think we'll see a bit of a revolution.

I'm Feeling Lucky

I want an "I'm Feeling Lucky" button on this thing that uses google's vast amounts of data on everyone to automatically call whomever I _should_ be talking to at the time.

The Underwear Gnomes strike again!

You just gotta love /. "Google's planning on shipping the phone in the latter half of this year, even though they haven't yet decided on what the hardware platform is, what OS it will be running, who their cell network partners will be, or any of the manufacturing details!" Also, in other news, I will be giving free ponies to everyone who visits my website [tleaves.com]. Free flying ponies.

Clearly

the iPhone is the one to get, it's two better.

Re:Clearly

Perhaps Google and Apple can compromise and collaborate on the hPhone.

this sounds familiar...

the company has yet to finalize the handset's specifications, OS, production contractor and operating partners

Hmm...that sounds just like my plan to take over the world! I just haven't figured out how, yet, that's all. But just you wait! *shakes fist*

Hey Google! Pick Canada!

Since Apple won't actually be shipping any iPhones to Canada until we're a 200 million person marketplace in the late 2900's, now's your chance to come in early and dominate the Canadian market!

Has to be 3G

Come on, people, there is no way Google will go for EDGE.

As you may have heard, Google is a large search engine which also provides excellent services like YouTube. Search engines also forward users to web sites filled with graphics and some with videos.

So why would Google want to construct a phone? Do they intend to make the best phone experience or do they tout this thing as the ultimate source to information via the World Wide Web? It's clear to me that a company like Google wants to maximize the speed to the site it links to as well as YouTube. EDGE can do that, but it's so painfully slow that it's not gonna be pleasant.

In Other News...

3D Realms has confirmed that they will be releasing Duke Nukem Forever the 2nd quarter of next year due to issues surrounding DirectX 8.

gphone or iphone

I am sticking with my iPhone. For starters, its exists and by the time this gphone comes out Apple will have 3G anyway. Somehow I am guess Apple will do (has done) a better job than Google. Google make a great search engine, etc. but Apple gets the consumer device stuff big time. What will google do on the phone that will make it so much better than Apple? Will they somehow limit the type of local searches to keep that market to themselves (which pretty much goes against their MO). Can't wait to see how this shakes out, but I will repeat: I am stick with my iPhone, now and next version! -sammy / loving my iPhone [personafile.com]

Google Operating System

What we need is a Google Operating System. That will successfully launch Google to the "Microsoft that should have been" status that we (techies) desire. In fact, I hope that Google replaces Microsoft, because from a software standpoint Google does everything right were Microsoft does everything wrong.

All this talk

I'm not sure Google would be tied to one carrier. That doesn't seem to hold an advantage for them. They want to expand their customer base not shrink it. Unless the deal gets me 2 phones with unlimited calling for $70 a month it's not financially smart for me to switch. If it does come in that price range I'll buy and let me friends suffer with the loss of cell to cell minutes. They'll need a network which can handle all sorts of traffic without crashing like the housing industries stock. From what I hear no carrier has this sort of capability so it would seem the gphone would need to spread their love. p.s. i read this title and thought "thank goodness I was worried the gphone was now in the works at Microsoft, I'm glad Google kept it."

Google is smart.

And the speex technology has come a long way. They could really kick everyone's ass if they do everything right. Less data = Less power, right? More information through the network? Better service and coverage? Who know's what's up? They could be planning anything! Maybe it's an iPhone clone with surround sound built in? God only knows. If they use the openmoko platform, though, and really make some killer apps (picasa, google earth, GPS, mp3, ogg, super fast youtube....., SNES emu...), I want one! Actually, I want it to be cheap and hook up to a monitor and mouse if I'm on the road, and charge from there and be my Ubuntu desktop on the road, at work, at home, and everywhere else. Maybe that's 2009 though. Whoever does it first for under $100 gets my money. Consider this a pre-order. Oh yeah, and I want it to have wifi (duh!), and I want to get a LCD and keyboard for an extra $100. Or use the ones I already have....

OK, last thing. Can I get a joystick? It'd be sweet if could do Grand Theft Auto online under winehq while I'm in Starbucks. Fuck it, here's an extra $50.

rhY

Re:Whole Lotta Speculation going on

but nothing concrete....

Nope, nothin concrete, BUT(!) there's ultra sekrit spy photos of Microsoft's zuPhones [wikimedia.org]!!!

Re:The Power of Google

What I want to know is will the GPhone help me find the GSpot?

Re:The Power of Google

Maybe it'll help you spot a Gman. Is that what you want?

Re:The Power of Google

What I want to know is will the GPhone help me find the GSpot?

Google up the location, set ringer on "vibrate."

Re:The Power of Google

If there were ever a company that could introduce a wireless SIP phone and make the concept stick, this would be the one...

Why? When have Google ever demonstrated expertise at building and selling consumer electronics?