Google shows phone prototype to manufacturers

這則”呼之欲出”的Google公司之手機傳言，告訴我們手機廣告業務開拓之困難；最可能的”消費者”是青少年；全新之競爭者的冒出頭等。

bbc

谷歌(Google)將推出自己品牌手機-GPhone的傳言，已經在全球甚囂塵上，但這位互聯網搜索引擎巨人卻三緘其口，不置可否。

報道說，谷歌計划研發GPhone，將集中在手機的服務方面，例如搜尋、電郵與地圖。

谷歌發表的聲明說，它目前正與電信商、手機製造商以及內容供應商一起工作，把它的服務帶到全世界。

谷歌拒絕透露它的計劃是否包括手機服務。

谷歌的聲明說，它的使用者與合作伙伴告訴谷歌，他們希望谷歌的搜索器與其他服務能用在手機上，谷歌目前正在這方面努力。

與iPhone競爭？

谷歌近期與蘋果合作，為蘋果的手機iPhone提供電郵與地圖等服務。

谷歌行政總裁施密特近期表示，將為iPhone推出更多的谷歌服務。

自從去年開始，便一直有傳聞說，谷歌將會製造自己的手機。

《華爾街日報》周四（8月2日）報道說，谷歌在這項計劃投資了數以億美元計，還與移動電話營運商T-Mobile USA以及無線服務供應商Verizon Wireless討論合作的計劃。

報道稱，谷歌這樣做是為了在越來越重要的手機廣告市場分一杯羹。

市場研究公司eMarketer對《華爾街日報》表示，到2011年手機廣告的市值將達到140億美元。

上月谷歌表示，有興趣競投美國無線頻譜的牌照，這可能是谷歌經營自己手機網絡的第一步。

Report: Google shows phone prototype to manufacturers

Reports say Google has developed a customized handset, is talking to cell phone manufacturers and wireless carriers.

Ben Ames

PC World
Friday, August 3, 2007; 12:19 AM

Google has developed a prototype cell phone that could reach markets within a year, and plans to offer consumers free subscriptions by bundling advertisements with its search engine, e-mail and Web browser software applications, according to a story published today in The Wall Street Journal.

Google is showing the prototype to cell phone manufacturers and network operators as it continues to hone the technical specifications that will allow the phone to offer a better mobile Web browsing experience than current products, the story said.

Google did not return calls for comment.

The move would echo another recent product launched by a phone industry outsider, Apple Inc.'s iPhone. But Google's product would draw its revenue from a sharply different source, relying on commercial advertising dollars instead of the sticker price of at least $499 for an iPhone and $60 per month for the AT&T service plan.

Negotiating the fairest way to split those advertising revenues with service providers could be a big hurdle for Google, one analyst said. Another problem is the potential that consumers could be scared off by the prospect of listening to advertisements before being able to make phone calls, said Jeff Kagan, a wireless and telecommunications industry analyst in Atlanta.

"I don't know how successful it's going to be. The model of an ad-supported wireless Web has not been successful over the past 10 years," he said, referring to municipal Wi-Fi networks that offer free Internet connections to users willing to view advertisements while they surf the Web.

"The average adult who can afford a cell phone is not going to want to listen to ads. So this is mainly for teenagers, twenty-somethings, high schoolers or people who can't afford a phone," said Kagan.

Industry watchers have long heard rumors that Google was designing its own mobile phone. Google added fuel to that speculation in July when it announced it was willing to spend $4.6 billion to buy wireless spectrum in a U.S. Federal Communications Commission auction.

At the same time, an increasing number of industry newcomers have made bids to enter the market, such as Apple with the iPhone and The Walt Disney Co., which launched a wireless version of its ESPN cable sports channel that ultimately failed.

"We see the cell phone industry continuing to evolve," Kagan said. "We're still going to see traditional handsets, but the Apple iPhone was a brand new category in wireless, and it wasn't from a handset vendor and wasn't from a network."

Google's success in its venture will depend largely on the details it is still defining with its manufacturing and network partners, and whether customers are willing to trade user fees for intrusive advertising, he said.

"There are a lot of unknowns, but generally speaking, it hasn't worked yet," said Kagan.