'Google Phone' by LG Electronics
LG Electronics will develop the so-called ‘Google Phone,’ an exclusive phone for Google service.
According to a senior official in LG Electronics, LG and Google have discussed the development of wireless phones exclusive for Google service and currently began development process. This official added, “The phone’s design has not been fixed yet and the both parties are in consultation to decide its name.”
Recently, the world’s major media outlets like Wall Street Journal reported that Google is ready to develop an exclusive phone. They counted LG Electronics and Taiwan’s HTC as the potential maker. LG Electronics has kept denying the report officially.
LG Electronic said that LG does not follow OEM or ODM system to develop and manufacture Google Phone. Rather, it added, the both parties are making co-marketing approach for this development and discussing marketing cooperation after the launch of this phone. Particularly, they consider to attach the both parties’ brands on the phone.
The development of Google Phone could be interpreted as the extension of cooperative relationship between the two companies which has been built when LG Electronics launched HSDPA phones with the Google search engine.
However, this time, this phone will be different from the existing phones with the Google search engine. With ‘Google’ on it as a brand, this phone will provide Google’s various services available in the internet, causing a dramatic change in the communications service market. Particularly, this phone will provide more advanced service than Apple’s iPhone therefore customers will have more expectation on this.
Google Phone is expected to be based on the touch screen technology, being equipped with Google’s satellite view photo service, Google Earth, its blogging service, Blogger, and photo editing service, Picasa, as basic functions.
Experts in the industry predict that since Google already reached an agreement with SprintNextel to introduce WiMAX (the equivalent service of Korea’s WiBRO) service in the US market, Google Phone manufactured by LG Electronics will become WiMAX service available phone.
Particularly, SprintNextel plans to introduce the WiMAX service to the limited area by the end of this year and officially launch in April, next year. Therefore, they suspect, Google Phone will be unveiled at the end of this year.
