Google in talks with Verizon over Gphone
The Wall Street Journal and Reuters reported Tuesday evening that Google is in “serious discussions” with Verizon Wireless to put its mobile “GPhone” software on Verizon phones. For months, people have been speculating about the rumored Google “GPhone.” Most people believe that it’s not a specific phone, but is more likely an operating system or software that integrates many of Google’s mobile services, like Web search, Gmail, Youtube, and Google Maps, onto phones made by existing handset makers. But more than simply integrating Google services onto handsets, the new Google mobile OS is believed to be an open platform on which application developers would have free reign to develop a slew of new applications and services.
The WSJ said in an earlier article published Monday that Asian cell phone makers HTC and LG Electronics will be the first two handset makers to use the software. But Google-powered phones will be useless unless the company can strike deals with mobile operators to allow them on their networks. T-Mobile USA is rumored to be the first U.S. operator that will sign on with Google. The new Google software will also supposedly offer integration with advertising platforms. And this is something that Verizon or any mobile operator would likely find very interesting. Today, mobile advertising makes up a small fraction of revenue, but carriers expect to generate a significant amount of revenue from mobile advertising in the future. This market really seems to get more crowded, first the Skype phone and now another good-looking possibility.
Source: Zdnet
Interesting….
Not really.
nope
Although I’ve been following the whole Google Phone thing quite closely, I really dont see what the appeal is to the average phone user. Hell, I don’t see what the appeal is to the hardcore mobile-phone-using Google fanboi.
If your phone has got a decent browser, you can access all of the Google mobile features anyway, so why on Earth would you want to buy a phone that gives you nothing more, with the exception that your browsing experience will be constantly interupted with adverts?
I can see why Google (and others) want to jump on the mobile advertising bandwagon, but something tells me that people will be a lot more resentful of adverts appearing on their mobiles than they are of averts being plastered all over their favourite websites. And a lot of people are becoming increasingly annoyed with that as well.
I for one wont be buying a GPhone if it turns out anything like I expect it to. I can just about bear adverts being shown with my emails, chat logs, web searches and alongside my morning breakfast cereal, but doing the same thing to my small-screened mobile when I’m trying to read my emails isn’t something I’m willing to put up with really.
looks nice
I’m still waiting for “Google OS”
google checkout!
I’ve also heard that Sprint is in the running to be the carrier for this http://www.newsvisual.com/newsvisual/2007/10/3m-directors-ha.html . I don’t think Google will go with 3 carries for this, seems more likely they will do what Apple did and just go with one, that way both companies make bank.