Google and Orange teaming up on Googlephone?

Are Google and Orange pairing up to make our secret mobile nerd dreams come true by introducing a Googlephone? There's nothing official yet, but the Observer reports that the two companies are in talks about producing a Google-branded cellphone that would come pre-loaded with mobile versions of Google apps like Google Earth, Gmail, etc. (The phone itself would be manufactured by our old friends HTC, which implies -- but doesn't guarantee -- that this thing might run Windows Mobile.) It's not totally far-fetched; Google's been moving headlong into the mobile space for a while now. There are already handsets that come pre-loaded with Google software, and in recent months they've also offered mobile versions of Google Maps and Gmail for download. Google CEO Eric Schmidt has even waxed rhapsodic about the possibilities of free handsets subsidized by (Google) ads. Even so, releasing a Googlephone would be a HUGE step for them, since ultimately Google's goal shouldn't be to have its own phone, but rather to be on every phone, right?

[Jonathan Zencovich @ Dec 17th 2006 3:16PM]

Just to add on, this Googlephone would be available in 2008, possibly. If this isn't just a rumor. That being said, I look forward to whatever Google will bring to the table, if this is all real.

--Jon Z

[raidedguy @ Dec 17th 2006 3:52PM]

2008? Gee, thats when my 2 year contract expires...
But if it's available what is google gonna do about service? It's not like there's wifi everywhere, or going to be...
What carriers would Google allow to use this phone, Cingular? T-Mobile? Sprint? And how much would it cost? Google has never really like to "sell" things, other than ads...

[Tech^Cellfish @ Dec 17th 2006 4:00PM]

Google's goal is to take over the world! And I welcome them :)

[Elmer Doell @ Dec 17th 2006 4:18PM]

Great idea! Maybe it could a be a 'World/Satellite' phone?

[Matias Korhonen @ Dec 17th 2006 5:17PM]

Windows Mobile?

I don't think so. Google has a history of promoting open source software or developing their own in-house stuff...

[Geoff @ Dec 17th 2006 5:55PM]

Now that the iPhone is coming out, we have have SOMETHING new to dream about for the next two years...

[waikikiTed @ Dec 17th 2006 6:30PM]

ironic that this scoop comes AFTER Google's CEO received alot of press with his "shouldn't all cell phone service be free to the consumer?" comments in the press not too long ago, and a few weeks BEFORE the Iphone may or may not be announced.

Contract or not, if the google phone did come out and was a hit from a service and equipment point, there'd be no reason not to jump ship and cancel an existing contract. What's to lose? A penatly fee would be offset by the low g-phone cost of service.

All this said, the g-phone and ad based concept is a good alternative for some consumers. Others don't mind paying extra if it means avoiding ad based usage or ease/familiarty with service (ie Vonage vs Good ol land line/Verizon) and business sell users wont be wanting to waste time with any ad based platforms either.

Regardless, cool concept. Lets see how it pans out~!

[JSM @ Dec 17th 2006 6:28PM]

using an xv6700 I can only say I dream of this. wm5.0 is crap (between the blank screen of death and whirling rainbow of death i reset twice a day - even after reinstalls) and gmail on phones is at least as good as that crap outlook mail app. Even worse, the verizon doesn't come with a vm so you've got to go through a ibm klude just to get useful web apps working on it. That being said, almost all the apps I use on the phone are google apps, and my goog home page would be far more useful than the wm5 home page. I have often thought, "if I could only dump wm off this thing and run a lean backend that supported the google apps I'd have a near perfect device.

I agree that it should be googs goal to run on every phone, but this may be more of an htc initiative than a google one - their hardware is hobbled by crappy windows software, if google can build an alternative operating environment for them they could likely sell many more devices.

[Murc @ Dec 17th 2006 6:41PM]

I hope google makes there own phone.....I currently have Verizion...god I would love givem' the big FU.

I like google...they make a lot of good stuff...and most of its free.:)
But I am stumped on what direction they would go with coverage....but as long as there cheaper then the other guys...and have a sleek phone...count me in.

[Hobobob10 @ Dec 17th 2006 10:32PM]

Judging by Google's acitvity in free citywide wi-fi projects and ads, plus their support of free ad-supported projects, I'd say that this phone might just be a free ad supported phone that uses a wi-fi connection. Somewhat like the skype phones but with more features like gmail and other Google applications that will be ad supported.

[ariel @ Dec 18th 2006 2:55AM]

i believe this to be true base on one fact.
in the last year google has been buying up
mobile phone tech companies in Israel.
plus they have double there staff in Israel
also. Israel is a hot bed in the mobile tech.
so that makes me believe that there up to something big in that field.

[Greg Clayman @ Dec 18th 2006 3:20AM]

I think Hobobob has it right.

First you get the apps, then you get the carrier supported phone, THEN you get the municipal ad-supported WiFi network devices. (Isn't that the line?)

More on my decent into Google mobile here: http://twofones.typepad.com/twofones/2006/12/google_mobile.html

[AlanJC @ Dec 18th 2006 4:29AM]

I get the feeling people aren't really reading this properly.

Orange will release one of the HTC designed Windows Mobile devices with Google's branding, and links to online services. Google in turn will make all of these things work well on a QVGA/VGA Windows Mobile device. Orange will then introduce a flat fee for data on their networks.

This will not be a phone released on any other network, Google will not be designing it, and it's just another MSWM device, but one that offers a good online experience.

[rong @ Dec 19th 2006 1:52AM]

Interesting that Google is rumored to be up to something with Orange here at Engadget.com and also interesting that Google is rumored to be up to something with Apple Computer over at Gadgetell.com, but then today what really materialized was that Apple Computer was announced to be partnering with Orange.

Is there anything to this circle? And why does this Apple Computer partnering provision end after 30 days (January 17)? Yet they talk about projections and differing contract options 6 months out?!?!

Someone get on this!