As much of the tech world prepares for a mysterious iPhone announcement, speculation has started to swirl regarding a possible Google phone built by HTC with service provided by Orange. According to a report released today by The Observer, Orange executives recently made a trip to the Googleplex to start hammering out details of the jointly branded device.
Their plans centre on a branded Google phone, which would probably also carry Orange’s logo. The device would not be revolutionary: manufactured by HTC, a Taiwanese firm specialising in smart phones and Personal Data Assistants (PDAs), it might have a screen similar to a video iPod. But it would have built-in Google software which would dramatically improve on the slow and cumbersome experience of surfing the web from a mobile handset.
So essentially, if the report rings true, the pair are planning a relatively vanilla handset. I think, however, that holds some significance. While us tech nerds love devices that have gobs of features, regular consumers want simple, usable functionality—not oppressively complicated technology. It’s a model that has benefited Google immensely in its eight years of existence, and I don’t see why mobile technologies should be any different.
The article sets a 2008 time frame device’s release, so there is still quite a bit of time for the product to develop and information to change. That is, of course, if there is any salt to it at all.
The future for Orange could soon be Google in your pocket [Observer]
I really do not understand why Google would want to enter the phone business. They’re readily available on Internet ready phones so for them to enter the market would actually be a bad move.
Of course the phone would sell to some people, but not to others. With the Apple iPhone coming out eventually, they would be two direct competitors, and I feel that Google would lose the fight.
Apple has the market ready for the iPhone because of the iPod. Everyone knows what an iPod is, and when you’re Apple you are expected to sell a device quite well. I see this happening with the Apple iPhone.
However, to say that Google would enter the market? Google is really know for two things. Their search engine and their web mail application. The search is the largest in the world, would that help sell the GPhone? I don’t think so. The mail is widely used and considered to be, “the greatest thing since sliced bread” to some. Yet, I do not think it would sell the phone.
I’m putting this in the box of other Google rumors beside the Google Operating System.
An entry level phone from google would be a superb idea. Something simple, fast and cheap would rock the current status quo. As phones get more complicated and feature packed, a huge chunk of the market gets turned off to the complicated devices.
I personally hate that my phone (Samsung A900) takes 10 seconds to turn on. My old school nokia was instant on. A phone from google would be exactly what my mom needs.
Google’s primary revenue is via its advertising service, AdSense. Imagine the possibilities for google of having mobile usage data. Targetted advertising would reach a whole new level. Especially if in the future they could utilize some technology to pick out key words from conversations (I know I am opening up a bag of worms about privacy concerns here).
This combined with their other services, gmail, calendar, search, finance, froogle, google docs (now known as google docs), maps, would be a huge seller. Imagine waking up and using your google products on your computer and on your phone seamlessly.
Finally, having the google name associated with it would make itself sell.
Back to studying.
Amit
What does Orange have to offer this deal? Is the larger market not in the states?
I think if anything, this is Google making a move out of the tech/internet world and into a world of tangibles. As much as we’d like to think of ourselves as being the coolest and most awesome members of society, we are massively outnumbered by the huge contigent of people who use the internet to find out how to get to disneyworld and to see how to convert meters into feet.
So how does Google start testing the waters of moving out of its current dominant status in the world of the interents? It moves into a small market of Europe where in general people have more money, are more eager to try new things, and use their phones more. An assumption we’re all making is that Google is going to market this phone stateside. However, from the Guardian, it seems Orange is a european phone marketer, so I wouldn’t expect a GPhone stateside too soon.
Of course, where Google expects to go with this can be interesting. Keep us updated!
Google is the new Microsoft
Google is evil.
Eric Schmidt is on the board at Google. I doubt they would want to compete with apple. Look for a partnership Google-Apple in the future to take on Microsoft. I look at Apple as the hardware side of Google.
They will both win. The young, “I’m so cool” will go for the iPhone, the old school “keeping it simple” folks will go for the GPhone. Those in between will go for other options like Nokia, Samsung….and Microsoft will try entering the market as always but will fail. And we shall all live happily ever after.
Google is probably going to go after a WiFi phone in the long term
Arthur:
That may be the case, but Google isn’t making money unless they’re the ones running the show, and they’re definitely not doing that here. Phone and the related support industries aren’t making that much money off the innovative and creative UIs that they put for your phone, but rather off of selling you the coverage, the plans, the services. This why I don’t understand what Google is trying to do. Yes they maybe trying to open up the market, but they’re not doing anything innovative, they’re not shifting the market from a cellular/signal tower world to a WiFi/internet hub world, they’re simply making a new phone.
Jon:
I think they would expand their advertising business. They are information hungry and are trying to always stay a step above the competition. They will utilize usage data, and maybe even GPS data to improve on targeted advertising. This is what they did with Gmail.
Google’s has two objectives, 1) place advertisements and 2) improve the type of advertisement displayed. With a Gcell (my self proclaimed name for it), they will be able to utilize the data to better understand the user and will also have a venue to display the advertisements.
This is why a GoogleOS isn’t that far fetched. It once again provides insight into the user and gives a medium to display advertisements.
Google is also known to do things before their competitors (ajax google maps, AdSense placements), and they will continue to be innovative to keep their stronghold.
Amit
Well, I don’t really care who they’re partnering with as long as I can do every Google thing I need with it. Tighter services integration for a better mobile experience would be much appreciated.
The more I think about this the more exciting the prospect becomes. This is definitely something I know I wouldn’t be able to resist…
will they listen to my calls and give me ads based on what I talk about?
that would be cool
“we’ve always been at war with Eurasia.”
Isn’t google opening up a free wi-fi service in San Fran? Pair it up with the guys who made those disposable cell phones a few years ago and you could have a killer new ad-sense platform. Oh-so-creepy, but I’d do it if it meant a free cellphone and free minutes
Even though I love Gmail and other Google services, I don’t want a Google branded phone.
By the time 2008 rolls around, a GPhone may mean many more things then we can currently envision… a whole year of innovation does create lots of new uses for technology – especially at the pace things are progressing now. Hype wise, people will have forgotten all about the GPhone as well by then so even if nothing ever comes of it… they still got the free press and media attention – for having not even released a thing ;-)
Jon
haha
i think google is not bad!
i wish google hold on!