(image from the Telegraph) I just do not believe Google is going to get into the hardware business with phones. Service, apps, platform, sure. But a phone? I don’t believe it.
But if you read the press, it seems Google has already decided to go for it. Read this lead and headline in the Telegraph:
Google to unveil phone of its own by next year
By Sophie Freeman
Last Updated: 2:29am BST 04/08/2007
Google is hoping to launch a mobile phone early next year that allows users to surf the internet on the move.
Er….the company is hoping? What the hell kind of journalism is this? What sourcing does the paper have? None, it turns out. Buried in story is this gem:
The company refused to confirm any plans for the phone.
I dislike this kind of speculative journalism. It’s just hype. Phoney.
Putting on my Joe Consumer hat for the moment.. what’s the difference between a “Google service, apps, platform phone” and, well, a “Google phone”?
Who makes my Tivo? Is it Tivo? I don’t think so. I remember my Tivo Series 1 from back about seven years ago had a Philips logo on it (in addition to the Tivo logo). So I think Philips made the hardware. And on my Tivo Series 2? I really don’t know. Probably still Philips? But I’m sure it is still not Tivo.
But does it matter who made the hardware? My Tivo is still my Tivo. It is not my “Philips”, which just happens to run a Tivo service, apps, and platform. It is my “Tivo”.
Same thing for this Google phone. It seems to me that if Google really is doing the service, apps, and platform, then for all intents and purposes, it is a Google Phone. It doesn’t matter who makes the hardware. That fades into the background. Like generic PCs.
So I am not arguing with you over shoddy and speculative journalism. Even a weak source is better than the apparent no source of the above-mentioned piece.
My point is simply that it doesn’t make sense to split hairs about whether Google will make the hardware, versus make the platform. A Google-platform phone is a Google phone.
John, you should have been at my house on Saturday. I’m eating lunch, flipping through the Telegraph and then literally shout out “I can’t believe it.” First, they act like this wasn’t coming off a story that the Wall Street Journal covered in more depth two days before. Nope, act like they just stumbled upon it. Then that picture. Seriously — a prototype Gphone? I mean, that’s what they called it, no source, nothing. Please — it’s a Windows Mobile phone with Google loaded up on Internet Explorer. Unbelievable, simply unbelievable they pushed it out there as some type of prototype they got a picture of.
Exactly. I can’t believe it either. it’s craziness.
Anyone else find it unlikely that Google would release their apps on a Windows based device?