Google phone countdown begins

All right, the iPhone is unlocked, so what’s next in the world of pop telephony? How about the GPhone? It’s been a long-rumored endeavor, though there has been little to no evidence of its coming to fruition. That is, until late last week. Rediff.com posted an article that claimed the Google-developed phone was getting ready for approval, and would be rolled out across the US and Europe rather soon. This could be a precursor to Google’s bid on the wireless spectrum.

Sources close to the development said a simultaneous launch across the US and Europe is expected, and announcements would be sent to media firms in India and other parts of the world. US regulatory approval, which is expected soon, is the only hurdle that Google is waiting to cross, they added.

Which networks the phone will work on remains to be seen. Surely Google has ruffled a few feathers at AT&T and Verizon for their part in determining the rules for the impending spectrum auction. It surely won’t hit Verizon, who have a ban on third party software. Since the phone would run on Google software, the two companies seem incompatible.

There have been whispers of a Google MVNO, though that also seems unlikely, given that they could start their own network should they win a piece of the spectrum auction. However, the MVNO idea could work if the service was ad-subsidized. We’re not quite sure how that would work, as there are few models of mobile advertising that actually work. If any company can do it, though, it’s Google.

The rumor has the announcement date in about two weeks. We’ll be on the lookout for any leaks along the way.

[Search Engine Land]

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