Like we reported quite some time ago. It may turn out that Google’s iPhone-fighting mobile phone, lovingly dubbed the GPhone, will be marketed as a low-cost sub-$100 device. Rizzn.com says that they have confirmed the GPhone to be more of a competitor to the $100 OLPC than a competitor to the Apple iPhone. The mythical Google Phone is said to be running a Linux kernel with integrated GPS and Google Maps.
Rizzn.com has also allegedly confirmed that the Google Phone will be using an ad-based model to help subsidize the cost of the phone – serving up Google ads whenever possible. However, it seems that the ad-based subsidies won’t put a GPhone in your pocket for free, as we speculated previously.
So, if this latest round of rumor and speculation pans out to be legit, we’ll be seeing basically everything that we expected from the GPhone – a low-cost, or free, phone that uses an ad-based model to help subsidize the handset’s cost.
Now, we want to know if HTC will be manufacturing the Google Phone. We have a feeling that the upcoming 700Mhz auction in January will shed more light on Google’s plans for the wireless market. Could we see a free GPhone launch on Google’s own Google Wireless network? Now that would be cool.
[Via: Mashable]