Official Google Phone Coming in January 2010, Testing Now

[heisetax]

Assus Mac or ??? iPhone

Why do people keep calling this a Google phone? HTC made it, not Google. You could also call any other Android cell phone a Google phone. This makes no sense at all to me. If Google made the phone, then yeah it could be called a Google phone.

But Apple doesn't build the iPhone. Actually the only one of their products that thy do any of the assembly on is the Intel Mac Pro. All the rest as assembled by third parties in China. So why does Google have to assemble the phone to be a "Google Phone?"

 

[Povilas]

Google is one big headache. None of their products are even half-finished.

 

[Rot'nApple]

Dang I wish it would come out for Verizon!!! =(

Why? Verizon has the Droid!

And the Map!!

Now be off with you Indiana Jones, be off with you.

 

[Andrew Danks]

I don't understand why that photo is being used in the article. It says HTC at the top.

 

[Xavier]

Another awesome phone that probably won't be on verizon anytime soon.

 

[macfan881]

... and not only this phone, I hope Google does a phoneless version like the iPod touch.

I hope they mop the floor with the current generation of Apple devices. Nothing else will spur Apple to innovate even more and hopefully cause Apple to relax their strangle hold on the ecosystem. I mean honestly, I shouldn't have to jailbreak my iPod touch to get the added functionality that jailbreaking provides.

archos has a tablet personal media player that has android OS on it with market place and pretty much everything else dont know bout a camera but still looks very nice very pricey though

 

[aucl]

I like that it's thin and that the CPU is apparently fast, the noise reduction sounds useful too. The fact that it sells unlocked is the best thing that can happen to a phone. OLED is also great. Voice dictation probably doesn't work well enough to be useable though, as I've never seen it work well anywhere before.

It looks way too plasticky and ugly, just like the Android OS itself. I'm only talking about the look of it, which is very important to me. Google really has enough money to design a nicer GUI and a nicer phone...

i guess google does not wanna get that much an elite status, which could reflect on price and design. after all it will be more to show off features and catch an even bigger user base, ...
in the end they wanna sell their services to the broad mass

 

[IndyGopher]

To the Mac only User the iPod & iPhone is off topic at a web site called "MAC RUMORS." We need a separate site. Then their could be a new site called, Apple Rumors.

Good idea. Go start that. Post back here when you have it done.

 

[MrMacMan]

To the Mac only User the iPod & iPhone is off topic at a web site called "MAC RUMORS." We need a separate site. Then their could be a new site called, Apple Rumors.

Um, MacRumors.com actually owns the Domain name to:
applerumors.com
pcrumors.com

amongst many, many other domain names.

 

[theLastBeatle]

... and not only this phone, I hope Google does a phoneless version like the iPod touch.

I hope they mop the floor with the current generation of Apple devices. Nothing else will spur Apple to innovate even more and hopefully cause Apple to relax their strangle hold on the ecosystem. I mean honestly, I shouldn't have to jailbreak my iPod touch to get the added functionality that jailbreaking provides.

I've never understood the contempt people have against apple like the post above. Do they even realize that without the iPhone/touch they wouldn't have anything remotely similar? Sort of bratty. Like, give me another scoop, NOW! Remember those bad apples in Charely and the Chocolate Factory...that's what comes to mind.

 

[iansilv]

I must say i havent even been interested in another phone other than the iPhone from Apple, but i think Google could make an awsome competitor. This can really only be good for us...

Yes! finally some competition!

 

[jz1492]

hmm....I wonder how much it will cost since it will be unlocked right out of the gate...

Google has that "other" revenue stream, ads.

They could potentially introduce it as the adPhone, for under $200 unlocked.

 

[andyr2120]

The best part of the rumor is not being reported here...

I've read elsewhere that this phone would only come with a data plan and it would use VOIP for all calls. My head exploded when I read that because it _could be_ the killer feature that other phones are missing.

Call quality under VOIP could be dodgy, and I doubt it could be as reliable for basic calls as a regular phone. On the other hand, get an unlimited data plan on a device that could make good use of it, and have free calling via VOIP on top of that....

What is a data-only plan these days? AT&T offers data-only plans from $28 to $54 or so per month. That could be quite a bit less than you'd pay per month for an iPhone. It would be an extremely different experience, but it is an intriguing choice.

 

[Santabean2000]

i know i will not be buying this. next non-apple topic please.

Seriously?

A well deserving story for this site.

Any (real) competition to the iPhone has to be good for consumers.

A little more open-mindedness please...

 

[iansilv]

I've never understood the contempt people have against apple like the post above. Do they even realize that without the iPhone/touch they wouldn't have anything remotely similar? Sort of bratty. Like, give me another scoop, NOW! Remember those bad apples in Charely and the Chocolate Factory...that's what comes to mind.

No- I completely agree with what the OP posted- and I love my iPhone. In fact, I cannot envision a phone so grossly beter than it to make me switch away from it. But I welcome some competition to spur Apple on- for things i would like to see, like:

Faster multi core proc,
more system memory
Greater storage - all three of these just make it better to use.

higher resolution screen, maybe .5" larger diagonally while keeping the same form factor

Front facing camera for the occasional video call

better came and video camera

two mikes- like this google phone apparently has.

You don't have to hate apple to want them to improve, you don't have to love apple to prevent them rom failing. Just be a consumer and vote with your dollar. These companies make way more money then anyone here anyway...

 

[Povilas]

Yes! finally some competition!

What competition? How competition? Just another phone with Android OS. Išvis suprantat tą žodį ar tik šiap kiekvieną kartą kai koks šūdtelefonis išeina vartojat?

 

[aucl]

Interesting the disdain for a "plasticky" phone. Last I looked, my iphone's shell is plastic.

Fanboys attack!

you should be honest, iphones front does not show plastic, .. and the back is not that loved at all...

 

[QCassidy352]

I'm confused. Is the HTC passion with google branding or some new device? I think someone sent macrumors a picture of a phone that is not the subject of this story.

 

[Roller]

A few comments...

1. Just what AT&T needs: another phone straining its already over-worked network. Unless current iPhone users stage a mass exodus from AT&T when and if there's a U.S. alternative, there'll be a net increase in traffic. I think we're going to see AT&T get really serious about bandwidth caps in 2010.

2. I don't know how much thinner cell phones can get and still not flex when you hold them.

3. Voice to text is interesting. They could use the same server-based approach that Nuance has taken on the iPhone. Doing the recognition on the device would be challenging, even with a fast processor.

4. I didn't see anything about the battery or a front-mounted camera. A big jump in battery life would be a major plus, and would be boosted by an OLED screen. Video conferencing would also be a compelling feature, though it would be another bandwidth hog.

In any case, I welcome the competition for the iPhone.

 

[brsboarder]

I'm not quite sure why someone would rate this as a negative.
Faster processor, big camera, thinner, unlocked, voice to text, OLED

Yes, android needs some work, but competition is a good thing, and apple better step it up.

 

[iansilv]

I look forward to the next series of should I switch to blah blah, I made the switch to blah blah.. and blah blah vs Iphone!

Yes! I'm looking forward to finally seeing some competition for forum posting subject diversity quality!

Wait, what?...

 

[brsboarder]

2. I don't know how much thinner cell phones can get and still not flex when you hold them.

The iphone is pretty darn big. Compare it to the ipod touch, I don't hear of many people flexing them. How you could say thinner is bad is just plain stupid. Stop kissing apples behind, we owe them nothing

 

[iansilv]

What competition? How competition? Just another phone with Android OS. Išvis suprantat tą žodį ar tik šiap kiekvieną kartą kai koks šūdtelefonis išeina vartojat?

398hf rjfkhrgerhngkd klshfshglks sidofslfg!

And yeah- I have faith that google would bring out something competitive to the iPhone.

 

[Povilas]

398hf rjfkhrgerhngkd klshfshglks sidofslfg!

And yeah- I have faith that google would bring out something competitive to the iPhone.

Competition is not about who has better number like Mhz, RAM, GB and so on Competition is about the "Wow effect". Goole missed it by almost 3 years. Time machine is still not available. Ir taip tu gaidys.

 

[Frisco]

I'll buy it if it's on Verizon, even if the phone itself stinks. I just need a new Verizon phone that I can make reliable calls with. 30% drop rate from At&t is unacceptable.