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Secret Google Phone Is Real—Really

It's rumored to be a VoIP-only device made by Samsung or LG

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Nov 18, 2009 2:14 PM CST
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(Newser) – The “Google Phone” is real—no matter what Google has said—it’s coming next year, and it may be VoIP only. Or at least, that’s the rumor. Michael Arrington of TechCrunch says he’s “absolutely confirmed” the phone’s existence. Google will be have another company manufacture the phone, but it’ll have Google branding. “This phone will be Google’s pure vision of what a phone should be.”

Arrington’s also heard “well-sourced rumors” that the manufacturer will be either LG or Samsung, and that Google will start advertising the phone as soon as January. And, most interesting of all, the phone may be a data-only phone, making its calls over the Internet with VoIP. Rumor has it AT&T has already offered to provide data for $20 a month. Of course, not everyone believes Arrington. Lance Ulanoff of PC Magazine thinks the story is “a quilt of unattributed fabrication.”

Will Google compete directly with the Droid and other Android devices?
Will Google compete directly with the Droid and other Android devices?   (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
ende
Nov 18, 2009 8:41 AM CST
True or not, this is eventually the direction that telecom is going to go. Remember those slices of 700mhz spectrum that went up for auction last year? Verizon and AT&T may have won the auction battle, but Google won the openness war, triggering the FCA's open standards mandates on that spectrum. Long story short, we may one day see cellphone-like devices that are data-only, using a network that has many of the properties that free-to-air television possessed: long range, etc.. perhaps even paid for via advertising? Google AdSense anyone?
Newser001
Nov 18, 2009 8:38 AM CST
I've been waiting for a decent VoIP phone; Perhaps its on its way via Google. Currently I use Skype via my Mac, AT&T Wireless and land, but am very open minded as to REAL competition and new integration (Google Voice). Here's hoping, the best is yet to come... BTW, recent GoPhone TV ads from AT&T Wireless are less than honorable... Their new flat rate at $60 p/mo is higher than the competition (metroPCS, Virgin, etc @ $50 p/mo) AND the tiny fine print at the bottom of the screen states, if you fail to renew each and every 30 days the rate will revert back to their standard minute rates and you'll no long be eligible for the flat rate... Go figure.

 
Google • VoIP • Google phone • Michael Arrington • Google Android • TechCrunch

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