A slew of rumors centering around an upcoming handset from Google may be coming to fruition as Isabel Aguilera, the company’s chief executive in Spain and Portugal has admitted a mobile product is in the works according to Engadget.
The product is described as a device that could provide features such as search, e-mail, Voice over Internet Protocol and mapping while speculation has emerged that Google may be working on its own hardware – as opposed to using Samsung, as past rumors had claimed.
A source close to the project cited on the High Contrast blog has stated that users can expect a “Blackberry-like, slick device” running Java on a C++ core with a Linux operating system. Google has been mentioned as leveraging its 2005 purchase of a relatively unknown company called Skia, which it felt was capable of creating a 2D engine on low-power devices.
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A slew of rumors centering around an upcoming handset from Google may be coming to fruition as Isabel Aguilera, the company’s chief executive in Spain and Portugal has admitted a mobile product is in the works according to Engadget.
The product is described as a device that could provide features such as search, e-mail, Voice over Internet Protocol and mapping while speculation has emerged that Google may be working on its own hardware – as opposed to using Samsung, as past rumors had claimed.
A source close to the project cited on the High Contrast blog has stated that users can expect a “Blackberry-like, slick device” running Java on a C++ core with a Linux operating system. Google has been mentioned as leveraging its 2005 purchase of a relatively unknown company called Skia, which it felt was capable of creating a 2D engine on low-power devices.
Google has also been mentioned as offering carriers deals for their networks and subsequently driving down costs with this action – a move that could undercut the price point of Apple’s long-anticipated iPhone.
A blog entry over at news.com points out quotes from venture capitalist Simeon Simeonov of Polaris Venture Partners that “Google is planning to build distribution relationships with multiple carriers by allowing them to minimize subscription and marketing costs,” wrote Simeonov. “In other words, Google, will market the phone online and carriers will fulfill.”
According to the blog, Google has made at least three acquisitions that would provide the firm with the technology and expertise to build a phone, according to handset:
-Google hired Andy Rubin, founder of Danger, a handheld device maker, and later Android, a mobile software maker, which he sold to Google in August of 2005.
-Google acquired Reqwireless, a mobile applications company that Simeonov says has “apparently played a role in developing the suite of Google mobile apps.”
-Finally, Google acquired Skia, a company to help it create a grphics engine that renders 2D graphics on handheld devices.
Although this still constitutes rumors at this point, this does make for some interesting speculation, especially with Google CEO Eric Schmidt sitting on Apple’s board of directors.
If you have any comments, ideas or concerns about this, let us know.