According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Google will announce its plans for a software platform for mobile phones within the next two weeks. The report claims the phones will be powered by Google and made by HTC, LG and run on T-Mobile USA, France's Orange and the U.K.'s 3 networks. They should launch by mid-2008.
The report claims Google's goal is to make applications and services as accessible on cellphones as they are on the Internet, which is in keeping with their recent lobbying efforts regarding the upcoming 700 MHz auction. Google wants to enable mobile users to more easily access mapping applications, social networks and video sharing applications, like Google-owned YouTube. The force of Google's mobile play, according to the report, is its desire to make the software "open," including the operating system. Google, then, also plans to empower developers to more easily build additional applications for the mobile platform.
For more on the latest Google rumor:
- read this report [1] from the WSJ (sub. req.)
Related Articles:
Google in handset talks with operators. Report [2]
Google now mulling 3G for gPhone Report [3]
Links:
[1] http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119369951717475558.html
[2] http://www.fiercedeveloper.com/story/google-handset-talks-operators/2007-08-07?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss
[3] http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/google-now-mulling-3g-gphone/2007-09-19