Google Phone Is 'Very Real,' Says TechCrunchGoogle has already delivered its own mobile operating system Android to several smartphone manufacturers. But the search giant isn't stopping there, says TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington. The blogger claims with absolute confidence that Google is making its own smartphone hardware.
"Everything up until now has just been a warm up to the Google phone," Arrington wrote in his blog post.
Arrington claims he has "absolutely confirmed" that Google is building a Google-branded phone to be sold through retailers sometime early 2010.
Really? Just two weeks ago Andy Rubin, head of Google's Android development, made it crystal clear that Google is not making a phone.
"We're not making hardware," Rubin told CNET. "We're enabling other people to build hardware."
So who's telling the truth? Arrington's claim echoes a previous rumor report from TheStreet's Scott Moritz, who has a notoriously spotty track record when it comes to tech rumors. (For example, in May, Moritz wrote a story titled “Tech Rumor of the Day: Apple,” which quoted an analyst who predicted AT&T would reduce prices for the iPhone’s monthly service plan. Not only did that not turn out to be true; it wasn’t a rumor at all — just a prediction from an analyst.)
Daring Fireball's John Gruber brings up a valid point: If Google pulled off such a stunt, the search giant would likely infuriate telecom partners who have agreed to put Android on their smartphones. We agree with the assessment that a Google-branded phone would probably be an unwise move for Google.
See Also:
Google's Open Source Android OS Will Free the Wireless Web
Google Poised to Become Your Phone Company
Android Army Pumped for All-Out Attack on iPhone
Android's Rapid Growth Has Some Developers Worried
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