GPhone Rumor "Confirmed" Again

The 'yes it's here', 'no it isn't', 'yes it is' tennis match of rumors about a Google-powered mobile phone have been entertaining to watch, as yet another source swears on the immaculate souls of Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn souls that the GPhone is alive and on the way.

GPhone Rumor "Confirmed" Again

As each Google Phone rumor makes the rounds, you can't help but think Elvis and JFK will show up on the front of the Wall Street Journal texting each other with them.

The latest absolute stone-cold GPhone rumor appeared on the blog of Mark "Rizzn" Hopkins, who says what he's got comes from an inside source at the impenetrable Googleplex, where staffers physically assault photographers trying to take picture of people playing Twister at a party on their campus:

I talked to one of my inside sources at Google today. He spoke on conditions of anonymity, but the guy is someone I trust implicitly. He said that he was baffled at Google's apparent internal confusion on the GPhone issue - that they've actually demo'ed the thing in public before.

He said that the Google (applications) Suite is going to play a huge role in the usability of the GPhone, and the thought process behind it's functionality is less about beating the iPhone and more about beating the $100 Laptop, which provides a huge clue behind what will be the pricing structure on this.

Hopkins has received some flack in his blog comments from people who aren't convinced of his post's veracity. We're much more interested in a Google network that would back a Google phone, rather than the hardware, but for now we're happy to mention another story about the GPhone.

Goo-Fone or Gphone - Fact or Fiction?

Goo-Fone? .. or should that be Gphone? It may not matter given what Google is said to have said. Google seems to be strongly denying the rumors that it will develop its own cell phone.

Rumors have been circulating for months based on particular actions by Google, for example on some intriguing new hires. There might well be attractive economics if Google were to follow this route since clearly the Mobile Web is growing much more strongly than the regular Web.

Now Google has chosen to come out with a denial. Supposedly it will seek alliances with the established telcos. Given that different telcos often adopt a walled garden approach to their own particular offerings, this implies a multi-solution approach by Google. Google will also be accepting a smaller share of the profit pie than if it were in the driving seat. In some ways the strategy implied by the denial seems less attractive than the strategy they have now denied pursuing.

It also is somewhat unusual for a company to come out with a denial of actions rather than announcing news of actions. Why was it felt necessary to issue a denial? All in all the denial seems less credible than what is being denied. I personally think we’re more likely to be seeing a Goo-Fone or Gphone or whatever they decide to call it at some time in the not too distant future.