Google Phone: Facts and Rumors About the “Nexus One”
The blogosphere is abuzz with rumors and conjecture about the fabled “Google Phone,” which was handed out to several Google employees for testing. Little official details have emerged about this mysterious Google Phone (supposedly called the “Nexus One”) which has been called a potential iPhone killer (not to mention a Droid killer), as many a-shadowy smartphone has.
As with all vague, pre-Christmas teasers, sightings of the Google Phone in the wild have spawned rampant speculation, from rumors that the Google Phone would an unlocked GSM device that called no cell phone plans provider master to conjecture that the phone could be released as early as January 2010. You could spend all day sifting through the blogs and Twitter updates trying to verify what’s true and what’s wishful thinking, but we’ve compiled a quick and handy guide for you here that should help you cut through the confusion.
As of December 14, 2009 at 1:09PM EST, the following are verifiably true facts, as reported on the Google Mobile Blog:
- Google employees were handed a new “mobile lab” device earlier this December. This device was distributed to Google employees across the globe.
- The device contains “innovative hardware” made by a “partner with software that runs on Android.”
- The device will be used to “experiment with new mobile features and capabilities.”
- Google “cannot share specific product details.”
That’s all that you should take as gospel. The rest of the information you’ve heard consists of supposed Google employee leaks and fervent connecting of the dots by dedicated mobile geeks. Here’s some more information leaked to Twitter from Google Employees
- Google employees aren’t allowed to tweet or blog about the phone, but they are allowed to show it to real live friends (know anyone who works at Google) via Twitter.
- A picture of the Google Phone taken by Cory O’Brien, who says “Google Phone = iPhone + a little extra screen and a scroll wheel. Great touch screen, and Android.” via Twitter.
http://twitpic.com/tbdig
The rumor that Google plans to release the Google Phone directly to consumers (thereby circumventing wireless carriers) was picked up today by the Wall Street Journal but cited only “people familiar with the matter.” That’s not information we’d bank on – yet. The Wall Street Journal article also perpetuates the belief that the Google phone released to employees is indeed called the Nexus One and is manufactured by HTC (which currently makes the HTC Droid Eris, an Android phone from Verizon Wireless). Rumors of HTC’s involvement and the Nexus One name were first broken by TechCrunch, citing “someone who has seen one in action.”
Engadget has also taken time to dissect some FCC documents about the Nexus One and have determined that it’ll work on T-Mobile and AT&T networks (though may be sold unlocked).
For now, we’ll just have to wait and see. Chances are, many of the rumors will prove to be overblown while other facets of this legendary Google Phone will prove to be beyond our wildest dreams. But for now, don’t believe anything except what’s in the first four bullets of this post.
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- Google’s HTC Nexus One Review
- Google Is Working On a Phone That Has a Payment Tool Built-In
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Tags: android 2.1, google phone