Google’s gPhone
August 9th, 2007
Today Google is the biggest online advertiser and bags more than $40m a day from online advertisements. Now it intends to expand itself in the advertising section to mobile devices. The aim is to reach the local advertisers by promoting its own mobile device. It is understood that Google is establishing and growing partnerships with industry leaders to develop innovative services for its users world-wide, since it is an important area for advertisement. At present Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson , LG,Apple iPhone are some of the the important mobile phone companies in the market. Understanding the increasing popularity of the newer generation of mobile phones, that offer advanced features, such as music and e-mail, on a single mobile phone, Goggle has reportedly intending to enter the mobile telephony market.
An analysis of Goggle’s mobile project based on reports in the media
During December 2006, there was a news that Google was interested in developing a “branded Google phone” . It was also reported that Google had held talks with Orange about a multi-billion-dollar partnership to create a ‘Google phone’ which would make it easy to search the web. The software experts of are doing some amazing work compressing data so that the mobile user gets a much better experience. Since people with Google have little experience on mobiles they want to utilise the Orange’s years of experience.’
During 2006, Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google had expressed in his views that in the future mobile phones should be free for the consumers, who will accept to watch targeted forms of advertising. According to Eric Schmidt, since the mobile phones are used eight to 10 hours a day for talking, sending of text messages or Web access such users should get free mobile phones. It just makes sense that subsidies should increase as advertising rises on mobile phones. At the same time mobile phones may never become totally free to the consumer.
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As per the latest news in theWall Street Journal, prototypes of Google Phone has been shown to mobile network operators, with a view to introduce a Google-branded handset. Google is aiming to secure a large slice of the growing mobile advertising market by introducing handsets optimised for Google search and other applications.
It is also understood that hundred of millions of dollars have been spent on Google’s mobile phone project. The phone may be named as gPhone or Google Phone.
Google is also designing new software for the gPhone, including a sophisticated new mobile browser. It is reported last month that Google had engaged Taiwan’s High Tech Computer to design a Linux software-based phone.
However, the Google Phone is unlikely to appear until 2008 at the earliest, since still it is in the planning stage.
Proposed Specification of Google’s gPhone
A number of prototypes have been developed by Google. The specifications are being drafted that can best display Google’s applications.
The proposed Google’s specifications may include 3G and Wi-Fi capability, for high-speed web-browsing, download and other capabilities.
GPS ( Global Position System) may also be integrated in the mobile, as a special facility to identify the location.
The regular mobile phone multimedia functionality, such as such as cameras and video will also be included.
Future course of action
Once the specifications are finalised Google may approach a suitable multiple handset manufacturers to work with on a Google defined specification. The manufacturer may also be asked to make their own handset designs based around the Google reference.
T-Mobile, owned by Deutsche Telekom, would likely be Google’s U.S. partner with France Telecom’s Orange selling the phones in other markets.
It is observed that Google had also approached , AT&T and Verizon Wireless, the two biggest U.S. wireless services, in recent months to request them to sell phones with Google service.
It is worth noting that T-Mobile and Vodafone have already incorporated Google search in their mobile Web service in Europe, while AT&T offers it as one of several Web search options.