The Google Phone: It's the OS dummy

It is a device it isn't a device, that's the debate brewing ever since the mythical "Google Switch" first graced our pages back in January. Just a few weeks ago, Taiwan's Digitimes cited sources claiming that Google "will definitely launch its own branded handset." Yesterday however, the International Herald Tribune stated that Google is "not creating a gadget to rival the iPhone, but rather creating software that will be an alternative to Windows Mobile from Microsoft." Of course, that's pretty much in line with what our own sources have been saying all along. According to the piece, Google's open-source challenge to Microsoft will be on display sometime this year with phones, the cost of which could be at least partially off-set by advertising, available in 2008. Fine, just bring it already and release the hordes of gPhone fanboys quietly incubating within our readers (and editors).

[Michael @ Oct 8th 2007 6:38AM]

The only problem is that we need good handsets to run it on and their aren't a whole lot of them available. Since returning my iPhone I can't seem to find a suitable alternative. It's even worse if trying to find one on a CDMA network. So I really hope they do release actual hardware.

[Joe @ Oct 8th 2007 7:29AM]

I think it's more likely to be a ad-based mobile OS that's able to run on a wide swath of (mostly cheap) hardware.

[Coleman Foley @ Oct 8th 2007 9:45AM]

there will be plenty of iphone clones out pretty soon, i bet.

[riggs @ Oct 8th 2007 12:20PM]

*Prada phone clones.

and there are alot of phones coming out that could use this OS instead of WM6

[Billy Ash @ Oct 8th 2007 6:45AM]

As each day passes, I'm getting more and more glad that I've made a decision to hold out until iPhone 2

And it's not even out yet here in the UK.

This time next year... will I be buying the gPhone? Will it be Nokia's inevitable iClone (but unlocked and 3rd part configurable), or maybe iPhone 2nd Gen?

Whoever I go with, it better be unlocked so that I am not tied into an 18 month contract for a £35 per month (A ridiculous price considering that I am having to also pay for the phone!)

Apple, I love ya, but not THAT much!

[Mike @ Oct 8th 2007 11:20AM]

It's not much of a decision to hold out when you don't even have the option of buying the phone currently

But I'm in the same position as you

[bombastinator @ Oct 8th 2007 6:58AM]

You know, I've never thought about it before but bio lab incubators actually do smell a lot like fanboys.

And of course we all know what the google phone rumors smell like by now.

[enzo @ Oct 8th 2007 7:02AM]

Agree with Michael. Ideally, they would release their own supercool handset (HTC...) AS WELL as letting other handset makers use their software...

[Agostinho Barretto @ Oct 8th 2007 7:14AM]

It will allow you to type the first few characters of your contact's name and click on "I am feeling lucky".

[Cleverboy @ Oct 8th 2007 7:18AM]

Am I the only one who winces when people attempt the "iPhone Shuffle" joke. This one is JUST as bad, if not more so. --And not bad in a "good" way. Really.

[mimsong @ Oct 8th 2007 7:16AM]

uh, "hordes"

[moondy @ Oct 8th 2007 7:22AM]

I love Google and will support them which ever decision they make. They give us free software and their company strives for excellence in a laze-fair style of management...if there was a gPhone ill be 1st in line.

[StrangeBum @ Oct 8th 2007 9:52AM]

I believe the term you were looking for there is 'laissez-faire'.

But I wholly agree with you. Google is kicking ass and taking names, and I too will support them in whatever they do...until that is, if they start letting their power get to their heads.

[moondy @ Oct 8th 2007 9:59AM]

Yeah crap how embarrassing, and that management style is in my soon to come business exam :S

[Leonard Nimrod @ Oct 8th 2007 7:27AM]

Great, a smartphone OS that will be Beta for 3 years before it's official release.

Seriously, I don't eee this happening. Where are are all Google Data Centers that were promised years ago. Where is all the free to cheap super-fast internet from all the dark fiber tht Google was buying up? Where are the free Google internet appliances that were said to be coming to every home?

There are so many HW and OS companies that have failed to make a great product--save for the iPhone but it does need some HW updates and tweaking to be a truly great HW device--that I don't see how Google,a great advertisement mogul can make this work.

[Luisen @ Oct 8th 2007 7:57AM]

If this is correct:

"the International Herald Tribune stated that Google is "not creating a gadget to rival the iPhone, but rather creating software that will be an alternative to Windows Mobile from Microsoft."

Google OS will be a iPhone rival, wheteher it's a hardware+OS device or just a OS:
Until now Google has developed very good software in terms of usability and that is what Microsoft and Nokia lack. But if Google OS becomes available, lots of people will buy the device just because of Google's interface and this will harm iPhone's market share (even being a software, if it cannot be installed in iPhone then it's a competitor) so we will (pherhaps) see a big battle between those two...

[Luisen @ Oct 8th 2007 8:00AM]

Sorry, I meant perhaps, not pherhaps :/

[Airbedman @ Oct 8th 2007 7:58AM]

This could be a good choice for Palm to take on. I'm sticking with my Treo 650 until I can get a new Palm device without windows.

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 8th 2007 8:11AM]

Thought question:

If a company like Google that does [all kinds of stuff] can devote a little time to make a new operating system, then what has Palm been doing all these years?

Discuss.

[Andy S. @ Oct 8th 2007 10:06AM]

Give Palm a break, man. There are hands that need sitting on, thumbs that need twiddling, and that paint sure isn't going to watch itself dry. Palm has a busy day ahead of them.

Disclosure: My most recent two phones have been Palm-based Treos, at least in part because I want no part of a Windows Mobile-based device. Given Palm's failure to release a version of the Palm OS suitable for modern users, I'm very, very glad that both Apple and Google are throwing their hats in the ring. Someone needs to compete with Microsoft, and it doesn't look like Palm is interested.

[anilrgowda @ Oct 8th 2007 8:35AM]

google Rockz....they are known for ths.

regards
http://www.jeqq.com

[Russ @ Oct 8th 2007 8:46AM]

a new phone operating system is MUCH more exciting than a crummy win-mobile phone with some google apps buried 4 folders down..

[trinest @ Oct 8th 2007 11:13PM]

Wasn't this; http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/trinest/googlephone.jpg
Ment to be the Google Phone?
There was a version of it which I never found again too.

[Alexander @ Oct 8th 2007 9:11AM]

I'm telling you, it's not going to be an 'OS' the way we think of them. It's going to be a basic framework (display drivers, network stack, some underlying filesystem jazz) but then everything is going to be web-based, with a cache of the program file on the device.

Think about it: It's about the OS, not the device. That means that the physical device is NOT as important as the OS and subsequently the daily usages of the programs and files you create.

What would be better than taking your 'phone' out, using it to send email, write/edit documents, use the internet to look up information, and then at the end of the day you set your phone on the charger... And all of your data is still accessible via Gmail and gDocs.

Just put it on CDMA, because I'm not going back to that bulls**t that is GSM.

[almostinfamous @ Oct 8th 2007 9:41AM]

silly alexander, trix are for kidsz!

if it's hardware independent, WTF does it matter if it's CDMA or GSM?

[Alexander @ Oct 8th 2007 10:13AM]

Of course they are going to release a device. Hardware manufacturer's aren't going to take GoogleOS over Windows Mobile. They get too many kickbacks from M$ for them to even consider it. Not to mention that it would be now be a choice between something like 6 versions of the same thing.

Nope. Google will have to make a gPhone just like Apple has made the iPhone. At least in the beginning. Once it is established, they can let device manufacturers build their own devices.

And not GSM because the coverage sucks when compared with CDMA. If GSM suddenly had the coverage that CDMA did, then there would be no issue. I'm rooting for GSM (worldwide standard == good) but it's just not cutting it here.

[Janet @ Oct 8th 2007 9:41AM]

Give me my trusty Treo (700p current but started at the very dawn of Smartphones with Treo) and let the rest fall away. Gphone! You have got to be kidding me! You might as well ask Google to build your next car. No...don't give them any more stupid ideas...Google my friend, you are a search engine and click through powerhouse, stick to what you are good and keep your day job.

[Alex Padilla @ Oct 8th 2007 11:27AM]

Could there be any correlation between the gPhone and their desire to bid on that open spectrum for auction by the FCC?

[AndrewNeo @ Oct 8th 2007 10:58PM]

I think they planned on using that spectrum for internet, so unless the phone uses voip, it's probably supposed to be for current cell phone networks. But I'd say that isn't bad speculation, seeing as we aren't 100% sure about what they intend with the spectrum, or the phone.

[Matthew Hilario @ Oct 8th 2007 11:55AM]

iPhone losing sales? I blame Vista!

[David Clark @ Oct 8th 2007 12:22PM]

Google phone isn't hardware or software. It's a big hype to keep the stock pumping while delaying the inevitable.

[randy @ Oct 8th 2007 2:22PM]

A real journalist wouldn't keep running that false-GooglePhone picture after they've already reported that the device won't look anything like that. But not Bloggerz!

(see "New Google Phone rumors get real specific", Sep 4th 2007)

[coolrepublica @ Oct 8th 2007 3:22PM]

I love Google but this phone idea is giving me pause. How does an ad based phone actually work?

Do I need to view and ad before my outgoing and incoming calls go through? How would Google know what type of ads to send to my phone? Online they know what I am interested in by what I type in the search engine; but would they have to listen to my conversations to know what I’m into?

The worst case scenario is I have to give up my right to private phone calls to be able to make them for free.

I don't know how Google could make money on this service. People who would sign up for this discounted service are most likely broke and can't afford to pay for their service. How much money can Google make by advertising specials at McDonalds and coupons from Wal-Mart? Targeting broke customers did not work too well for Amp’d Mobile. Maybe Google would have better luck.

Teenagers trying to cut down on their phone bills could be another target market. Since their lives are posted online anyways for the world/Google to see, they would not mind giving up what's left of their private lives so they can text for free.

Other than these two groups, I can't think of any one else who would want an ad subsidized phone.

Anybody has any ideas out there, I would like to hear it?

[hackedbyjoe @ Oct 9th 2007 12:32AM]

As much as we all love Google and pray for their new mobile phone, we mustn't forget that they are a company of software developers, not hardware.

Here is the problem and why I think the OS-only rumor is the most accurate/realistic:

If Google wanted to get into the hardware business , they would have to either a) start a new hardware infastructure from scratch, b) buy another hardware company and start from there, or c) commission another company to build something for them. None of these are very cost effective. So why not leave the the hardware to the hardware guys, and the software to the software guys. Wouldn't it make the most sense to design a mobile OS that works on any handsets and leave iClones to the other companies? Microsoft didn't enter the hardware business until almost 20 years after the companies conception and that was only with the xBox.