Google Releases Experimental Phone to Employees

TechCrunch reports that Google has begun testing a new Android device with their employees. The new device is said not to be just another Android-based phone, but the official Google Phone that has been rumored for some time. From TechCrunch:

Google is building their own branded phone that they’ll sell directly and through retailers. They were long planning to have the phone be available by the holidays, but it has now slipped to early 2010. The phone will be produced by a major phone manufacturer but will only have Google branding (Microsoft did the same thing with their first Zunes, which were built by Toshiba).

There won’t be any negotiation or compromise over the phone’s design of features – Google is dictating every last piece of it. No splintering of the Android OS that makes some applications unusable. Like the iPhone for Apple, this phone will be Google’s pure vision of what a phone should be.
This new phone is said to be a no-compromises version of an Android phone and has been reported to include these details/features:

- Sold as an unlocked GSM phone, so in the U.S. T-Mobile and possibly AT&T
- Android 2.1
- Uses Snapdragon chip and is "really, really fast"
- High resolution OLED screen
- Thinner than iPhone
- Two mics, one on the back to reduce background noise
- "Weirdly" large camera
- Touchscreen keyboard
- Voice to text for dictation

The Google Phone is said to be due for release in January 2010. The Snapdragon chip appears to be based on the same generation of ARM processor as the iPhone 3GS, though could be running at a higher clock speed. Apple, of course, is rumored to be working on their next generation iPhone, though it is not expected for release until mid-year.
The Google Phone, Unlocked (Confirmed And More Details)

 

Google says phone is real.

It looks real!!!


Today Google admitted publicly that its employees are using unannounced Android-based devices. However, these phones, which Google shared no details about -- and did not specifically call a "Google Phone" -- are being used to help Google evaluate Android, Android applications, and experiment with new features and capabilities. Google said that it might share details about the device in the future, but for now it is only for Google testers and what it calls "dogfooding" activities.

 

Google to sell unlocked GSM phone.

From Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal reports that the new Android phone distributed to Google employees this week will be sold directly to consumers as an unlocked phone as soon as next year. Google will sell the phone instead of carriers, and consumers will need to arrange wireless service separately. The phone is called Nexus One and is made by HTC.


Phone Scoop

 

Google phone to be released January 2010

The unlocked GSM phone, sold directly by Google is expected out January 2010.

Interesting that there is no mention of CDMA phone. Does that further dim the hope of an iPhone for Verizon? Even from Google? I would have thought that they would sell both, if they are not aligning with any carriers.

No idea how much the phone will be. Perhaps it will be free and paid by advertising???

 

Here is a link to the Google Mobile blog post:
Official Google Mobile Blog: An Android dogfood diet for the holidays

 

I'm a little confused. What's the difference between:

A) A HTC branded phone made by HTC, that runs on Android and Google played a big part in developing

and

B) A Google branded phone made by HTC, that runs on Android and Google played a big part in developing.

...just the logo on the phone? Ok, Google can have full control of the tech-specs, but really how much was HTC limiting them with the current HTC/Android models? Were they really standing in the way of Google?

and why won't it be sold via the network operators? Everyone in my family gets a new subsidised phone from our operator every 2 years. It's easier for us to have the price bundled in our monthly payments, rather than dumping $400 or whatever up front.

If Google won't let it be subsidised by the operators, thats only going to hurt them. Altho the marketing campaign against the operator-locked iPhone will be a good one I guess...

 

A very good question, and one that we will have to wait and see about. I have a couple of good guesses.

Google has no experience building hardware, even if they hired a team, they still would rely on HTC quite a bit.

But here is a thought: the current Android phones were not just spec'd between Google and HTC. They also had Verizon and other carriers to deal with. No special software, or Verizon feature blocks to deal with. If Google wants to make a phone that works on all bands for ATT, Tmobile and Verizon it could. No bluetooth limitations, etc, etc.

I have read that Android has had some problems with each mgfr's hardware. Maybe this new one will be more tightly integrated like the iPhone.

IMO

 

The latest I read over on Phonescoop is that they may be partnering with Tmobile on this. That makes more sense since subsidized or not, US consumers are still used to purchasing their phones with their service. So long as there are competing technologies and different bands being used, they'd either have to partner with a provider or make a phone that has everything.