Google Phone Could be Data Only, VoIP Calling
An Android device with a data-only plan from AT&T.
Yesterday reports hit that said the Google phone was real. A custom-built, Android-based, Google-branded phone is rumored to be on the market in 2010. Originally reported by Tech Crunch, sources say Google will control all aspects of hardware and software without compromise and, while the device will be manufactured by a well known company, it will be Google's name on the shell.
Today's piece of gossip is that the phone may not actually be a phone. In light of recent comments from Google that the company is "not building hardware but enabling others to do so," Michael Arrington has come up with a theory that would allow Google to put out an Android phone without actually putting out a phone. Confused yet?
Arrington writes:
The Google Phone may be a data only, VoIP driven device. And Google may be lining up at least AT&T to provide those data services for the Google Phone, says one person we spoke with today.
Users could still make calls just like a normal phone, of course. The calls would just be over the data service instead. In fact, this is the exact vision Google proposed back in 2007 when they were bidding on the FCC auctions for the 700MHz spectrum.
Google can even issue phone numbers to users via Google Voice. In fact, I’ve already ported my mobile number to Google Voice, and Google has plans to roll out that feature more broadly. Google Voice can also handle the VoIP function for the phone.
Would you buy a phone that was data only and relied on VoIP? Let us know in the comments below!
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I've been thinking about doing this for a while now. It would be nice if it were easier to connect to hotspots for VoIP. I think if free hotspots allow for automatic connection this could work but I just keep finding hot spots with some kind of signup/login page and some ridiculous process for getting in. This is especially important for incoming calls. If you are out on the town you can't be expected to maintain a connection manually wherever you go.
Not in the UK lady. Air latency is vagina. I'd only be able to call within wifi areas.
i would absolutely buy it. it would save money by not having to buy an expensive calling plan and text plan on top of data.
They would have been better using verison they have 5 times more 3g coverage
And with this will come the death of charging by the minute! Since voice communication is really just another form of data, it makes sense. We need to get away from the 20th century idea of a "phone" anyway. What these are are communication devices. Now only if Google didn't have to work with a big telco to provide data to that phone we'd really see progress, and competition.
I am already using VoIP for most of my phone calls, many companies have already switched to VoIP, and most of my friends already have SIP numbers. Especially with applications like Fring, Truphone, etc. becoming popular on smart phones and SIP numbers appearing on executives' business cards, it's becoming a VoIP world.
I'd be all for a data only phone. It's annoying having to select a voice plan, a text plan, and a data plan. Of course it would have to be cheaper than the 3 combined in order to sell me on it.
"And Google may be lining up at least AT&T to provide those data services for the Google Phone, says one person we spoke with today."
Not AT&T again. I hope for Google's sake that they've been following the whole AT&T vs. Verizon fiasco and choose not to go with AT&T. Or at least go with multiple providers.
Not in the UK lady. Air latency is vagina. I'd only be able to call within wifi areas.
How is it vagina? It's warm, moist and smell funny? I don't envy the UK! Or do I?
How is it vagina? It's warm, moist and smell funny? I don't envy the UK! Or do I?
This. Hahaha, well done
I'm amused at how everyone automatically assumes that voip calls will be free so this will work out to be a lot cheaper.
AT&T won't allow Google to compete with their existing market where they've already found that most of the population will happily pay $60-$100 per month for a cell phone. AT&T won't give that up easily.
Can you imagine AT&T not being interested in finding different ways to charge you for the same old rope?
about damn time! no more data-sms-talk-a million other categories of fees, just to make it look like your getting lots of stuff for your lots of money!
and wtf? voip should be free? it should count towards your data allowance, but charging extra for using your data to talk would be...
you know... that thing where the gov was like, no isps, you can't discriminate based on the type of data being transmitted.
The Google Phone will be free.
http://nofilmschool.com/2009/11/th [...] l-be-free/
Jesus NOOOOOOO!!!! I hope it isn't just a VoIP phone. It would be nice to have it be an EXTRA feature however if it was just a VoIP phone it wouldn't appeal to me.
If you Would like this Sevrus Now Do The Folowing
A. Rent yourself A 3g DATA Sim Card Pop It In To A Phone With Surport For Apps Like Fring (I Havent Come Aross It Must Cheak It out) Or Skype. There Are Lots Lots More.
Google is stirring up the market Soon WiMAx will be available, and more Hot spots are coming everyday, Wireless N is out and getting better. Its stupid that Cell phone towers support EVERYWHERE support only phones and not TCP/IP data like WiFi. If WiFI can get big enough, cell phone towers will be the crap of yesterday. I love Google for pushing the bar they are awesome. They dont let other tell them what to do , they just do it!! If WiMAx and otehr tech like it are coming then this will be awesome, Screw ATT and data, minute, family, 2yr. 1 yr contract crap, We pay way to much for phones in this country. Look at Europe pricing and plans compared to ours we are getting RIPPED by our US companies. This will bring a playing field to the market, in fact I would be happy to not have my phone usable until I get a WiFi connection, how far is that, Home Work school, anywhere else I go. Im going to look into this more and see if I can provide more WiFI in areas that people would want it to make calls, Lets DO THIS!!! Thanks Google!!
This leads to the metered internet that all the big ISPs are aching for. Backlash for wired metering put that back in the box for now but wireless should be a piece of cake for them to figure out how to get charges back to $100/mo.