Could The Google Phone Be 100% Data-Driven?

Nov 19 2009, 9:00am CST | by Robert Evans

Ever since we heard the news that Google was building a branded smartphone one question has been running through my mind; why? Google is a massive, powerful corporation with stockholders and employees to be accountable for. They don't just embark on wild hares to make all of the tech geeks squeal. If Google is working on a phone, they've got to have something in mind that's more than just a really good Android-running mobile. But what?

Thanks again to TechCrunch we might have that answer already. Fairly recently Andy Rubin of Google seemed to deny the idea of a Gphone straight away. He "scoffed" at the possibility that Google would "compete with its customers" by releasing a phone. However, that doesn't equate to an all-out denial of the Google phone...as long as it's not really a phone.

Michael Arrington thinks that Google could be working on a data-driven mobile device that does all of its calling through a VOIP service. Google's already acquired a VOIP company and, thanks to Google Voice, has the ability to issue phone numbers. Could both of these things just be two steps along Google's road to a Dataphone?

Yes. As Arrington points out, Google already proposed running a mobile phone over a data service back in 2007. The ground work has been laid for a while, and now it sounds like Google could be stepping up for the final stage of their plan. It's not a plan that's going to make any of the cell carriers happy, but somehow I doubt that weighs on their conscience much.

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Robert Evans
The excitement about new smartphones, tablets and anything mobile drive Robert to unearth the latest rumors and developments in this fast moving space. He adopted 4G as soon as it become available and knows where the mobile market is going.
Robert can be contacted directly at robert@i4u.com.