The Google Phone (GPhone): What Will it Do for You?

Google Inc. is currently working on a cellular phone that could be released within a year. A prototype version has been released earlier this year. The Google Phone will provide many unique services, which include the Google search engine, an email application (Gmail), and a web browser. Google will offer consumers free subscriptions in exchange for bundled advertising.

Google is striving to develop a phone with technical specifications that will offer better web browsing features than any other mobile phone. Google is currently working with partners to expand its software applications so that they can be suitable in a mobile environment. These phone carriers include T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T.

Google's move to the mobile market mirrors that of Apple's with the iPhone. However, the Google Phone will have a different approach in regards to generating revenue. While Apple primarily relies on their phone's base price, Google will generate most of their revenue from advertising. Whether or not this is an intelligent decision for Google Inc. is debatable. Studies show that many employed adults are willing to pay for a phone will not want to listen to advertisers. Based on this business move, it can be inferred that Google will aim its phone towards the youth market, which includes high school teens, undergraduate college students, and lower-income citizens who cannot afford a phone.

You are probably wondering by now what the Google Phone will offer that the iPhone doesn't already offer. The Gphone is going to be very similar to the iPhone in the respect that they both offer web browsers and online applications. Essentially, both of these phones are smart phones. The aspect that will differentiate the two phones will be the Gphone's wide array of Google features.

Google Inc. is collaborating with several phone carriers to integrate their Google services in a mobile environment. You should expect many Google services such as Google Mail, the Google search engine, YouTube (Google acquired YouTube on November 2006), Google Maps, and many other services. The main drawback on the Gphone will probably be the integrated advertising. As discussed earlier, Google will use advertising to generate revenue for its Gphone. Unless you don't mind viewing advertisements while using the Google Phone, the Gphone will be very suitable for you.

The Google Phone is expected to be released within the next year (2008) and it will be a viable economic alternative for the more expensive smart phones.