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Google Acknowledge The Widely Rumoured Google Phone?
Here’s the link to the translated news story.
An extract of the story:
Isabel Aguilera, Chief of a main directorate of Google in Spain and Portugal, have confirmed to Noticias.com that the company is working, “among others”, in the development of a movable telephone. “A part of the time of our engineers we have dedicated it to the investigation of a movable telephone to accede to information”, has made specific Eyrie to this vestibule.
Interesting,
A ‘photo’ was realeased into the wild about a week ago too. Click on my link (Cormac) to check it out. I don’t know if it’s geniune though. It doesn’t really look too “Googly”, eventhough it would be a prototype.
Comment by Cormac — March 16, 2007 @ 10:26 am
There has also been a mention over on Search Engine Land of people reviewing the product via on-line surveys.
Forum page is here.
Mirror of image is here (if you can believe it).
My view is that there is a lot of noise here, and chances are that the truth will prevail only when Google decides.
Comment by Richard Hearne — March 16, 2007 @ 10:59 am
Crikey, that looks as fake as it gets.
Comment by Cormac — March 16, 2007 @ 1:45 pm
What advantage is there for Google in having a phone? They don’t do hardware except for the Google Search Appliance. You’d think they’d be better off trying to get in bed with current Mobile Operators and get the Google search engine as the default for their internet gatway/portals.
Niall.
Comment by Niall — March 18, 2007 @ 10:23 pm
Hi Niall
Mobile operators are far too greedy. If they had their way data would consist of SMS. Period.
I think one of the keys here is wifi (and quite possibly wi-max) – suddenly the potential to remove the operators from the mix is huge. Then you have disruption, and disruption usually means someone losses big time and someone makes a bundle. I think we all know where Google wants to be.
I have a sneaky feeling that the mobile operators and the search engines (in particular Google) may well become competitors very soon. Google wants access to the mobile base (about 4-5 times as many mobile phones as PCs if I remember correctly).
Best rgds
Richard
Comment by Richard Hearne — March 18, 2007 @ 11:46 pm
If that’s the case there is no point in Google releasing a phone. If the mobile operators don’t want a Google Phone, they won’t supply it as part of their offering. Most people would be very much upset if they had to pay the full price for a mobile phone without operator discounts, and a Google Phone would be no exception.
If I recall correctly, Google already offer free Wifi in some cities, so Wimax would be a logically next step.
Niall.
Comment by Niall — March 18, 2007 @ 11:57 pm
Who’s to say Google wont give it away? They have been commenting about free mobile in return for accepting ad-supported access.
You get your talk/video time for free, and they get their ads seen by lots and lots of eyeballs.
Best rgds
Richard
Comment by Richard Hearne — March 19, 2007 @ 12:50 am
The operators will still control the network, and they won’t give up on a revenue source like that too easily!
Niall.
Comment by Niall — March 20, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
I wonder how the final product will look like and its potential purpose to the users.
Comment by Ken L — March 27, 2007 @ 9:13 am
I’m guessing this is related to their purchase of GrandCentral
http://www.grandcentral.com/
…maybe “moveable telephone” means having one phone number that can contact you anywhere?
Comment by Stewart — July 10, 2007 @ 11:09 am
Hey Stuart
I reckon they have very big plans for mobile alright.
And I think more corporate actions are definitely on the cards from all the major players as they fight it out to rule the mobile space.
Hope you’re doing well, best rgds
Richard
Comment by Richard Hearne — July 11, 2007 @ 11:28 am